Home › World › Two Russian signals on 24–25 September 2018
Two Russian signals on 24–25 September 2018
Summary
A retrospective on the day Moscow acknowledged Kyiv's decision on the Friendship Treaty, and on its announced military steps in Syria.
What did Moscow say about Ukraine and Syria in the space of two days? On 25 September 2018, Russia acknowledged that it had been notified of Ukraine's decision not to renew the Russian–Ukrainian Friendship Treaty, a day after Russian officials set out new military measures in Syria.
The treaty
The agreement, also known as the "Big Treaty", was signed in 1997. It fixed the principle of strategic partnership between the two countries, recognised the inviolability of existing borders and respect for territorial integrity, and committed each side not to use its territory to harm the other's security.
Ukraine's president, Petro Poroshenko, had signed a decree not to extend it on 19 September 2018, citing the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014. Russia's acknowledgement on 25 September 2018 confirmed that the notification had been received. The treaty later expired, on 31 March 2019.
Syria
On 24 September 2018, Russian officials said Russia would send the S-300 air-defence missile system to Syria within two weeks. They also said Russia would begin jamming radar and satellite signals of aircraft attacking Syrian territory from the Mediterranean.
The announcement followed the downing of a Russian aircraft in Syria. On 17 September 2018, Israeli missile strikes on targets in western Syria were met by Syrian air defences, which accidentally shot down a Russian Il-20, killing 15 crew. Russia blamed Israel, accusing its air force of hiding behind the Russian aircraft. The Israel Defense Forces said they had struck a Syrian weapons facility and expressed sorrow for the loss of life, which they attributed to Syrian fire.
Two days, two fronts
The two items concerned different theatres, but both fell within 24 hours of each other. In one, Russia registered the end of a bilateral framework with a neighbour with which it was in conflict. In the other, it announced a stronger air-defence posture and electronic measures after losing an aircraft and its crew.
