Russia’s decision to provide Syria with advanced S-300 air defense systems is a “major mistake,” US National Security Advisor John Bolton has warned, advising Russia against escalating the already high tensions in the Middle East region.
“We think introducing the S-300s to the Syrian government would be a significant escalation by the Russians and something that we hope, if these press reports are accurate, they would reconsider,” Bolton said Monday, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Moscow said earlier in the day that Damascus would receive the modern missile system within two weeks.
The decision came after Israeli fighter jets attacking Syrian military posts misled the country’s air defenses into shooting down a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance plane on September 17, killing all 15 passengers onboard.
