Russia says S-300 missiles will “defend territory of Abkhazia”

Russia deployed S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in the breakaway region of Abkhazia in Georgia as far back as in 2008, straight after the conflict in South Ossetia ended. According to Kommersant, Russia just for the first time declared it officially. Air force commander-in-chief General Alexander Zelin declared deployment of missiles the day before.

According to the source, Abkhazian Minister of Defense Merab Kishmaria also declared that Russian and Abkhazian military closely cooperate in the air defense sphere.

U.S. State Department Spokesman Philip Crowley mentioned that U.S. knows that the missiles have been deployed in Abkhazia for two years already, RIA Novosti reported.

Note that in a statement released by the Russian government, air force commander-in-chief General Alexander Zelin said the role of the missiles would be “anti-aircraft defence of the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

“We have deployed the S-300 system on Abkhaz territory, which, alongside other aircraft defence systems of the ground forces, will solve the problems of air defence of the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” he was quoted as saying.