MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. An air defense regiment armed with the missile system S-400 Triumf will enter duty in Sevastopol in February 2018, the commander of the 4th aerospace and air defense army of the Southern Military District, Lieutenant-General Viktor Sevostyanov, told TASS.

"An air defense regiment armed with the S-300PM systems stationed in Sevastopol has begun to be equipped with the new missile system S-400 Triumf," he said. "The regiment is to enter duty in February 2018."

Pantsir-S1 will provide protection for the S-400 systems from air attacks. The regiment of S-400 systems in Sevastopol will enhance protection in the southwest direction 50% he remarked.

Sevostyanov said there were no plans for deploying other S-400 regiments in the peninsula and within the area of responsibility of the 4th aerospace force and air defense army, but in 2018 an air defense regiment in Feodosiya will receive a third S-400 battalion and Pantsir-S1 systems.

S-400 Triumf

S-400 Triumf is a long-range air defense system authorized for service in 2007. It is meant for eliminating aircraft and cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium range ones. The deputy commander of Russia’s aerospace force Viktor Gumenny said last April that S-400 systems had begun to be armed with missiles capable of hitting targets in near space.

S-400 consists of a combat control center and a radar servicing up to six air defense missile systems. Each system has up to 12 launchers carrying different types of missiles.

Under its contractual obligations the manufacturer, Almaz Antey, in September delivered to the Defense Ministry this year’s first regimental set of S-400 systems. Another regimental set followed at the end of October, 2017.