MINSK. June 6 (Interfax) - Another S-400 air defense missile system, delivered to Belarus from Russia, is being prepared for combat duty, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"Preparations for putting another air defense missile system on combat duty began today. It will start guarding the airspace of the Republic of Belarus shortly," the ministry quoted a system operator as saying.
Earlier on Tuesday, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin underlined the defensive purpose of Russian weapons in Belarus and described the provision of another S-400 Triumf system as "not just substantial reinforcement of our country's airspace but also solid protection of the Union State border."
"Everything we do has the sole purpose of protecting our fatherland and preventing an armed conflict from being waged on us," Khrenin said.