A RIA Novosti correspondent has reported that a Russian S-400 missile defense system has been deployed in Syria on Thursday. The S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) next generation surface-to-air missile system has been deployed to the Hmeymim airbase in Syria where the Russian Aerospace Forces group is stationed. The Russian Defense Ministry announced the deployment of the S-400 systems on Wednesday, a day after Turkish fighter jets had shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber, which had been taking part in Russia's anti-terror campaign in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the incident as a "stab in the back, carried out against us by accomplices of terrorists." The S-400, an upgrade of the S-300 Growler family, is a new-generation anti-aircraft defense system operated solely by the Russian military. The S-400 ensures air defense using long- and medium-range missiles that can hit aerial targets at ranges of up to 400 kilometers (almost 250 miles).
