MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax-AVN) - A contract on the transfer of S-300 air defense missile systems to Belarus will be signed this month, Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, Russian Air Force deputy commander-in-chief, said on Wednesday.
"Elaboration of the contract for the gratuitous transfer of S-300 air defense missile systems from Russia to Belarus is nearing completion. The contract may be signed already in March," Nogovitsyn told reporters in Moscow.
When the contract is signed, Belarus will transfer to Russia the money needed for pre-export preparation of the systems. "In fact, Russian experts will put the S-300 in combat condition within two months, after which the system and an allowance of ammunition will be put on combat duty in Belarus," Nogovitsyn said.
According to data available to Interfax-Military News Agency, Russia will hand over to Belarus a battalion consisting of three S-300 systems.