Russia to supply advanced AA missiles to Belarus (S-400 Triumf)

Russia is making "thank you sales" to their loyal comrades! ---

MINSK, April 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is to deliver S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) surface-to-air missile systems to Belarus under an integrated air-defense agreement, a senior Belarusian military official said on Wednesday.

Igor Azarenok, commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, said the countries' defense ministries were currently discussing delivery terms.

The S-400 is designed to intercept and destroy airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles), twice the range of the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot, and 2 1/2 times that of the S-300PMU-2.

The system is also believed to be able to destroy stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, and is effective at ranges up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and speeds up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second.

- I think someone in Tehran is "a bit jelous" from these advanced toys...

Well actually Russia and Belarus have a joint military partnership, so Belarus has far greater access to Russian weapons than Iran. And these S-400 systems are meant as much to protect Belarus, as to protect Russia - which is why Russia supplied them to Belarus. If the two didn't share common defense concerns and a border, Russia would have done so.

Do you think it can stop anti-missile missiles from the missile shield bases NATO wants to put in eastern europe?

I mean... those are really fast. If I were a russian engineer, I would make sure that the next S-400 revision or the next model can stop the missile shield missiles to make sure that the west doesn't have any preemptive nuclear strike ideas against Russia.

[edit on 14-4-2009 by Vitchilo]

The planned missile shield by the west is in no way capable of allowing any form of a first strike, nor is that its intention.

Please research.

The planned missile shield by the west is in no way capable of allowing any form of a first strike, nor is that its intention.

Oh, I've researched. And yes, long term, it's for that. The final stage of the missile shield will have thousands of interceptors combined in every NATO countries, but mainly in eastern europe and in the US.

And sorry, but the missile shield is not against Iran or North Korea, it's naive to think so. The missile shield is against Russia and Russia knows this.

reply to post by Iblis


great! so which country and where is it designed to `shield` against? sitting on the russian border - nearly 1000 miles from the ultimate maximum range of an iranian missile (which btw would fall short of actually hitting europe - at its ultimate maximum range)


so , who is the missile shield - in Poland , going to defend from?

Like all military forces, the intent is to stay one step ahead of the opposition. Don't you think it might be a bit silly if we wait until Iran had the capability to strike Europe? Then building the defense might very well pressure them into launching in the first place! May as well trap the bug before it grows wings to fly away.

And, ironic that days after a launch capable of striking Europe, you dismiss North Korea. Iran, less so, but think about this: Do you really think any number of interceptors, much less in well-known locations, as well as their radar, would stop Russia?

Despite never hearing of this silly 'thousands of interceptors' claim and you providing no evidence, you do a disservice to the Russian armed forces to suggest that such a vast military would be rendered ineffectual by any sort of planned missile defense.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

The planned missile shield by the west is in no way capable of allowing any form of a first strike, nor is that its intention.

Oh, I've researched. And yes, long term, it's for that. The final stage of the missile shield will have thousands of interceptors combined in every NATO countries, but mainly in eastern europe and in the US.

And sorry, but the missile shield is not against Iran or North Korea, it's naive to think so. The missile shield is against Russia and Russia knows this.

Well Russia is just increasing its air defense umbrella, by giving these off to Belarus.

Just like those ABM detection systems placed in Greenland, the UK, Norway etc etc.. protect ONLY American soil from ICBM attack.

But this S-400 is not so much ICBM cover for the Russians as it is conventional air defence cover, for them to carry out any Georgia-esque operations along the western front.
NATO will think twice before deploying air power in that region whatever the geopolitical/strategic situation demands.
No more Kosovo operations etc etc.

It is natural - Russian federation has few allies and it wants to keep them as such. So i personally think that it is totally understood. Why they waited until now though - is a mystery to me.
By the way even those close allies did not recognize independence of Abkhazia and S. Osetia. So maybe it is some kind of a political bribe too?

We didn't want missiles in Cuba so why would Russia want missiles so close to them?

Even if it is for defence it's the principal of it all.