Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — President Bashar Assad says the first shipment of the
S-300 air defense system has arrived in Syria.

In an interview on May 30, Assad appeared to confirm reports from Israel
and Russia that Damascus was receiving components of the S-300PMU2 air
defense system. The Syrian president did not say when the shipment
arrived.

“Syria has received the first shipment of Russian anti-aircraft S-300
rockets,” Assad said. “All our agreements with Russia will be implemented
and parts of them have already been implemented.”

Neither Israel nor the United States confirmed Assad’s assertion, made
in an interview with Hizbullah television. But senior Israeli officials said
they expected the Kremlin to approve the imminent delivery of the S-300 —
with a reported interception range of 200 kilometers — to Syria.

Russia has not confirmed the S-300 delivery. Diplomatic sources said
components of the air defense system have arrived but remain under control
of Russian military personnel in Syria.

“Assad was very cagey and indicated that Russia was delivering air
defense assets but did not provide real specifics,” a diplomatic source
said. “He’s bluffing and those who have been monitoring Syria know this.”

Hours after excerpts of the interview were released, Lebanese sources
said Assad did not actually say the S-300 was delivered. A source at
Hizbullah’s Al Manar television said Assad only asserted that Moscow was
honoring its defense commitments. On late May 31, Al Manar delayed broadcast
of the Assad interview.

“Everything we have agreed with Russia will be implemented,” the source
quoted Assad as saying. “Some of this has already been implemented.”

  Al Manar television, Assad confirms S-300 shipment has arrived from Russia, S-300PMU2 air defense system