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S-400, Pantsir-S systems in Crimea to make region invulnerable — senator

Reinforcement of Crimea’s air defenses is to be accomplished later this year, the chairman of the Federation Council’s defense and security committee said

MOSCOW, May 4. /TASS/. Reinforcement of Crimea’s air defenses with the S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S systems, due later this year, will make the region invulnerable, the chairman of the Federation Council’s defense and security committee, Viktor Bondarev, said in connection with growing NATO and US activity in the Black Sea region.

"Reinforcement of Crimea’s air defenses with the S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S systems meets the interests of national security. It is to be accomplished later this year. The whole region will then become absolutely invulnerable to any malicious designs," he said.

"We see NATO’s growing activity in the Black Sea Region and its increased attention towards Crimea. NATO’s warships patrol the Black Sea and spy planes hang around in its airspace. Besides, the Americans’ activity in neighboring Ukraine is daring and challenging as never before," he said.

In the context of current tensions in Russia’s relations with some Western countries, for which Russia is not to blame, Moscow may well interpret these actions as unfriendly.

"And of course we are going to protect our territory and our border. The S-400 is an excellent air defense system unparalleled in the world. It demonstrated its great capabilities by effectively destroying targets at large and medium distances and at small, medium and high altitudes. It is capable of hitting both aerodynamic and ballistic targets. And Pantsir-S is every effective in eliminating surface and air targets," Bondarev said.