Russia to close the sky over Crimea and Black Sea

The Russian Navy will deploy anti-aircraft Buk systems in the Crimea to protect ships and  submarines of the Black Sea Fleet.

Photo: AP photo

If necessary, Buk systems, along with S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems of Russian air and space forces will close the sky over the peninsula and the Black Sea.

The SAM systems (Buk-M2 and then Buk-M3) will be delivered to the 1096th anti-aircraft missile regiment in Sevastopol. For the time being, the regiment is armed with Osa (Wasp) anti-aircraft missile complexes.

Buk-M2 is capable of striking aircraft and drones at a distance from 3 to 45 km. The system can reach even high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft in the stratosphere. Buk missiles can strike targets at altitudes of up to 25,000 meters. Osa system missiles are less powerful: they are capable of destroying targets at distances of not more than 10 kilometers and at altitudes of over 5,000 meters.

Russia has already deployed the 51st air defense division of Russian aerospace forces in the Crimea: S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as Pantsir anti-aircraft complexes.

Pravda.Ru

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