NATO logo in front of the headquarters in Brussels. File photoMOSCOW, March 18As soon as the S-300 air defense systems from NATO countries enter the territory of Ukraine, they will become a «legitimate military target» for Russian aviation, Igor Korotchenko, director of the Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO), expressed his opinion in an interview with RIA Novosti. Slovak Defense Minister Yaroslav Nagy said on Thursday that his country is ready to transfer S-300 air defense systems to Ukraine as soon as it receives replacements from the United States or other NATO allies.
"As soon as the S-300 systems cross the border of any of the countries NATO and find themselves on Ukrainian territory, the task of the Russian Aerospace Forces is to immediately destroy these air defense systems. This is a legitimate military target for Russian aviation, and it must respond to this immediately", Korotchenko suggested.
The expert believes that the destruction of military caravans of foreign military equipment on the territory of Ukraine will not lead to an open conflict between Russia and NATO. for NATO»From the moment the caravans of Western military equipment end up in Ukraine, they are a legitimate Russian military target,» the agency's interlocutor believes. three NATO states: Slovakia, Bulgaria and Greece (transferred by Cyprus due to disagreements with Turkey). This complex was “inherited” from the Czechoslovak Armed Forces during the division of the country in 1993 at the disposal of the Slovak army. The S-300 anti-aircraft missile system is capable of hitting various targets at high and low altitudes, and is designed to defend military and civilian strategic facilities. beheaded.» Where do Russian missiles and bombs fly?