MOSCOW. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Greece's plans to transfer Soviet- and Russian-made S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine would violate Russian-Greek intergovernmental military-technical cooperation agreements, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"We view the provocative plans to supply the Kiev regime with S-300 and other Russian- or Soviet-made air defense systems as openly hostile to Russia," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a commentary published on the ministry's website.
The Greek leadership has voiced its intention to transfer S-300PMU-1 surface-to-air missile systems deployed in Crete to Ukraine on the condition that it receives more U.S. Patriot systems for replacement, the ministry said.
This step would breach Russian-Greek intergovernmental agreements on military-technical cooperation, which forbid Greece to re-export military equipment supplied by Russia to a third party without the latter's consent, as well as international arms trade regulations restricting arms exports to regions where this might exacerbate conflicts, Zakharova said.
"A violation of contractual obligations would inevitably have consequences," she said.
"Nobody should have any doubts that all military equipment forwarded to Kiev will be promptly detected and destroyed by the Russian Federation's Armed Forces. Until it is too late, dangerous plans may be reversed. We once again warn the Greek leadership of its responsibility," the statement said.