MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Russia has put severl S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) on trial combat duty in the northwest of the country, spokesman for the Western Military District Colonel Igor Muginov said on Thursday.

"Several S-400 Triumph long-range air defense missile systems have been put on trial combat duty today," he said.

According to the official, the systems’ crews will check their integration into the existing aerospace defense system of the Western Military District at the north-western border and conduct a number of special drills.

The S-400 Triumph system entered service with the Russian army in 2007. As of late 2015, a total of 11 regiments are armed with these systems and by late 2016 their number is to be increased to 16.

The S-400 is designed to eliminate all modern and future aircraft and missiles. The system can hit aerodynamic targets at a range of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles) and tactical ballistic targets flying at a speed of 4.8 km/s (3 mi/s) at a distance of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles). Such targets include cruise missiles, tactical and strategic aircraft and ballistic missile warheads. The system’s radars allow acquiring aerial targets at a distance of up to 600 kilometers (373 miles). The system’s 48N6E3 antiaircraft missiles can hit aerodynamic targets at altitudes of 10,000-27,000 meters and ballistic targets at altitudes of 2,000-25,000 meters.