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Why Russia promised S-300s to Syria
Summary
A look back at Moscow's announcement of new air-defence and electronic-warfare measures after the loss of a Russian aircraft.
What did Moscow decide to do after losing a military aircraft over Syria? On 24 September 2018, Russian officials said the country would send the S-300 air-defence missile system to Syria within two weeks, following the downing of the Russian aircraft.
Russia also stated that it would begin jamming the radar and satellite signals of planes attacking Syrian territory from the Mediterranean.
The trigger
The announcement followed events of 17 September 2018. The Israeli Air Force carried out missile strikes on several targets in government-controlled western Syria. Syrian air defences responded to the Israeli fighter jets and accidentally shot down a Russian Il-20 military aircraft, killing all 15 crew aboard.
Russia blamed Israel for the loss, accusing the Israeli Air Force of hiding behind the Russian aircraft and so putting it in the line of fire. The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged striking a Syrian weapons facility and expressed sorrow for the loss of life caused by Syrian fire.
The wider setting
The Israeli strikes came a few hours after a Russo-Turkish agreement to create a demilitarised zone around Idlib Governorate. That agreement postponed an imminent offensive by Syria's forces and its allies.
The two measures announced on 24 September 2018 were a delivery of air-defence hardware and a move to disrupt the signals of aircraft approaching from the Mediterranean. Both were presented as Russia's response to the downing of its plane.
