Russia plans to deploy an advanced antiaircraft system at its military base in Syria.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on November 25 that the Defense Ministry had recommended installation of the advanced S-400 antiaircraft system at the Hmeimim military base and that President Vladimir Putin had authorized it.
Earlier, Putin, speaking in Yekaterinburg, apparently misspoke when he said the less-advanced S-300 would be sent to Syria.
The announcements come one day after a Russian warplane was shot down by a Turkish fighter along the Turkey-Syria border. One Russian pilot was killed in that incident.
Russia's Defense Ministry said on November 24 that the Moskva cruiser, equipped with the naval version of the S-300 antiaircraft system, would be moved into position in the Mediterranean Sea off of Syria's coast.
"We warn that all targets potentially dangerous to us will be destroyed," Russian General Staff official Sergei Rudskoi said.
Ankara says it shot down the Russian warplane after it strayed into Turkish airspace and failed to respond to 10 warnings. Moscow says the plane never left Syrian airspace.
With Russian, U.S., NATO, Syrian and other nations’ aircraft flying combat sorties over Syria, experts had long warned of the possibility of an aerial confrontation.