Minsk in talks with Moscow on S-400 missile systems delivery to Belarus - defense minister

MINSK, June 17. /TASS/. Four Russian S-300 missile systems will be stationed by the end of this year in Belarus, while the issue of delivering S-400 missile systems to Belarus from Russia is being discussed, Belarusian Defense Minister Gen. Lt. Andrey Ravkov told TASS in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. "In the framework of creating a joint regional system of missile defense , four divisions and command post of S-300PS missile defense systems will enter service at military units of Air Force’s Anti-Aircraft Missile Troops and Air Defense Troops stationed in the Hrodna, Brest and Vitebsk Regions," he said. The issue of delivering S-400 missile systems to Belarus is the stage of discussions, Ravkov noted, adding that "it is yet premature to talk about concrete dates." The defense minister stressed that bilateral cooperation in the military-technical sphere is developing dynamically, and "Russia is Belarus’ main partner in delivering military products, as well as in repair and modernization of weapons and military equipment," Ravkov said. He also noted that many military products were delivered to Belarus from Russia on the basis of the bilateral agreement on developing military-technical cooperation "with a discount for the Belarusian side." In 2014-2015, "around 50 contracts were signed on favorable terms on delivery, repair and modernization of anti-aircraft missiles, communications and radio-electronic equipment, small arms and artillery weapons, ammunition, aviation technical equipment for the Belarusian Army," Ravkov reminded. "Most of those contracts have already been fulfilled," he added. "Thanks to mutual understanding of importance of the tasks we face in ensuring defense capabilities of the Union State [of Russia and Belarus], we always manage to reach acceptable solutions on all arising issues with our Russian colleagues," Ravkov stressed. Read more