Russian Defence Minister: Russia to supply S-300 systems to Belarus

In the near future Russia will supply to Belarus modern anti-aircraft missile systems S-300, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has announced.

"The corresponding government decree will be adopted in the near future, and Rosoboronexport will sign the contract, only some formal details are left," he told journalists after the joint collegium of the Russian and Belarussian defence ministries.

"Russia and Belarus are equally interested in /supply of these systems/ for successful and efficient defence of our common airspace, our common sky," Ivanov emphasized.

It is unimportant, whether it will be lease or some other form of property transfer, the minister underlined. "The most important is that they /the systems/ will be put to ready alert," he said.