Global Security Newswire

Georgia claimed yesterday that Russia had fielded its advanced S-300 antimissile system in the breakaway territory South Ossetia, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Aug. 12).

Moscow dismissed Tbilisi's accusation. "There are no S-300 systems in South Ossetia," an unidentified Russian Defense Ministry source told Interfax.

Russia has already deployed the advanced surface-to-air technology in another Georgian separatist region, Abkhazia. A senior military official said this month the move was intended to defend Abkhazia's airspace and to provide protection to the republic, though the Kremlin subsequently said the systems were actually installed two years ago.

Georgia and Russia fought a brief war in summer 2008 after Tbilisi tried to re-exert control over South Ossetia. Since then, Moscow has recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and constructed military facilities in the two areas.

"Although Russia is not saying this, be sure that S-300s have already been deployed in" South Ossetia, Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said to the Imedi news channel.

The minister asserted that between the missile defense systems in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and a military installation in nearby Armenia, "Russia has set up a triangle in the South Caucasus and regions adjacent to it which it will need for a confrontation with NATO or Turkey."

The S-300 has the ability to track and eliminate at distances of 62-124 miles cruise and ballistic missiles and aircraft flying at low altitudes, according to AFP (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, Aug. 25).

South Ossetian Defense Minister Valery Yakhnovets dismissed Georgia's claim as well, RIA Novosti reported. There is no need for the missile defense system "at the present time," he said (RIA Novosti, Aug. 25).