Russia deployed a new unit armed with the advanced of S-400 surface-to-air missiles in the Ukrainian region of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Russian state media reported on January 13 that Moscow had deployed the new division outside the city of Sevastopol, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based.
It is the second S-400-equipped division deployed to Crimea, after Moscow based one near the northern port town of Fedosia in early 2017.
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The 12th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, deployed on the Black Sea shoreline south of the city of Sevastopol, became fully operational on Saturday, January 13.
“As of today, the whole air defense of Crimea is equipped with the most modern S-400 surface-to-air missile system unmatched in the world,” the Air Force and Air Defense Fourth Army commander Lieutenant General Viktor Sevostyanov said during the regiment deployment ceremony.
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The S-400 is capable of striking airborne targets up to 400 kilometers away and ballistic missiles up to 60 kilometers distant. The system can use at least four interceptor missile types suited to different targets. An S-400 unit can engage up to 36 targets simultaneously.