HANOI, January 23. /TASS/. Some Middle East and Southeast Asia countries have shown interest in buying Russia’s S-400 missile systems and talks are underway now, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"Other countries, in particular of the Middle East Asian region and Southeast Asia, have shown interest in purchasing S-400," Shoigu said. "The talks are being held now."
Shoigu, who is currently on a tour of Southeast Asian countries, recalled that two S-400 missile systems are on a round-the-clock combat duty in Syria, ensuring air defense in Hmeymim and Tartus. "These are unique systems with unparalleled performance characteristics in the world," the minister said. "This has been confirmed by the recently signed contract on the S-400 supplies with Turkey, which is a NATO member," he added.
Russia’s delegation recalled that until recently Greece was the only NATO member to have been successfully developing military and technical cooperation with Russia. The Greek army has Russia’s S-300 systems.
Russia is ready to share with its partners the experience of using its equipment and armament in Syria in the fight against international terrorism, Shoigu noted. "First of all, certainly, this is our combat aviation, equipment and weapons of the Ground Forces, the Special Operations Forces and also Russia’s air defense systems," he said. These systems include both Pantsir systems, which were used in Syria, but also the S-300s and the S-400s.
"Neither meetings nor talks with foreign counterparts from any regions of the world are held today without discussing buying Russia’s armaments," the minister said.
Russia’s S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the latest long-range antiaircraft missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and surface targets. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.
On September 12, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara had signed an agreement with Moscow on purchases of S-400 systems, with an advance payment already made. The first deliveries of the S-400 missile systems to Turkey will begin in March 2020, the head of the state corporation Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, said earlier.