Russia to defend its borders with S-400 systems

The long-range missile for Russia's state-of-the-art S-400 Triumf (Triumph) anti-aircraft complex is to be created this year.

"As a matter of fact, we are at the stage when the development of the missile is about to be completed. I believe that the task will be accomplished in 2012," Alexander Zelin, the commander of Russia's Air Force said.

"The S-400 is a new system, which was designed to deal with the issues of air defense and countermissile defense. It is called S-400 because it has such means of destruction that are capable of destroying airborne targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers with high precision," the official said.

According to Zelin, this year, Russia's Defense Ministry has decided to deploy a new group of S-400 Triumf systems in the Far East and along border areas of the country, Dni.ru website said.

"This year, we are expecting several S-400 anti-aircraft systems to be passed into service. Unlike in the past, this year, the systems will arrive in the military units deployed in remote areas - in the Far East and in border territories, not in the Moscow region," the commander of Russia's Air Force said. The official did not specify any certain regions.

Last year, the commander of the Baltic Fleet of Russia, Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov said, that the first S-400 Triumf system would be passed into service in the Kaliningrad enclave. This would happen in April 2012, the official said.

The Triumf complex was designed by Almaz-Antei to provide defense from air strikes, strategic and cruise missiles, as well as from tactical ballistic missiles.

The Triumph anti-aircraft system was passed into service on April 28, 2007. The first division of the system took up duty on August 6, 2007 in the town of Elektrostal, the Moscow region. Another division joined the group in 2009, so they formed a regiment together. A second regiment became operational in the Moscow region in May 2011.

It was reported a year ago that Russia's aerospace defense troops began to get ready for new S-500 systems. The serial production of Russia's first missile complex is said to begin in 2014, Lenta.ru reports. The new system will reportedly be used to defend Moscow's airspace, as well as a number of strategic objects in the central part of Russia.