The Pentagon is raising questions over Russia’s deployment of an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Syria, which the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed it was doing on Tuesday.
The S-300 missiles are capable of shooting down aircraft, but also potentially cruise missiles.
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook would not say that the anti-aircraft missiles posed a threat to U.S. and coalition warplanes, but he questioned why the Russians felt the need to beef up air defenses.
“Last I checked the Russians said that their primary goal was to fight extremism. ISIL and Nusra, neither one has an air force, so I would question just what the purpose of the system is.”
Asked by a reporter if Russia might be preparing to declare its own no-fly zone over Syria, Cook suggested the reporter ask the Russians.
Russia said it was sending the system to enhance the air defense around its naval base in the Syrian coast town of Tartus.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the S-300 missile battery had already arrived in Syria, but insisted that its only purpose was to protect the base and Russian ships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
“The S-300 is a purely defensive system and poses no threat,” said Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, according to the Kremlin-funded RT news network.
That language echoes statements the U.S. has issued in the past regarding U.S ballistic missile defenses in Europe, although Russia has objected to that deployment.
