Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Baku has the Ability to Shoot down Armenian Planes
Moscow is seriously disturbed by the statements from Baku that Azerbaijan's air defense forces have been ordered to shoot down civilian aircraft, "illegally entering its airspace" over Nagorno-Karabakh. According to Russian experts, such a position of Baku could lead to war, says Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
The ability came to Baku in 2010, after Moscow sold Azerbaijan two battalions of the “Favorite” air defense missile systems. The performance characteristics of these systems are able to control the skies over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. This is reported by sources from NG in the Defense Ministry, after controversial talks between Baku and Moscow failed to extend the Gabala radar station lease. Therefore, Vladimir Putin canceled the decision to sell a third division of the “Favorite air defense missile system to Azerbaijan.
A Russian Defense Ministry air defense expert officer, on condition of anonymity, said that the anti-aircraft missile system S-300PMU2 Favorite has almost a 100% probability for two missiles to destroy air targets at ranges of up to 150 km. This would result in any civilian aircraft appearing over the Karabakh territory would be destroyed if a military command were given. "In this case, the officer questioned the recent statement by the Armenian Minister of Defense, Seyran Ohanyan, stating that Armenia's air defenses are able to provide complete safety of civilian aircraft. Flight are expected from Yerevan to Stepanakert.
The media has not reported whether Shoigu raised the issue when dealing with the Armenian President, Serzh Sargsyan and the Defense Minister, Seyran Ohanyan on the possibility of the Stepanakert airport opening. Meanwhile sources in the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian delegation, at the informal level, strongly recommended the Armenian side not to start flights of civil aircraft over the territory of Karabakh. Negotiations had special attention paid in discussing the nuances of the on military-technical cooperation draft agreement between Armenia and Russia, which must be signed by the two leaders in the near future. -02D-
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