BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 P.M.) – The NATO forces reportedly got a glimpse of the Russian-made S-300 last week, following tests by the Greek military in the eastern Mediterranean.
On Sunday, Turkish media reported that Greece conducted tests on the Russian system at a firing range on the island of Crete in the eastern Mediterranean, near the coast of Turkey, between November 23 and 27, noting that the tests were conducted in the presence of American, German and Dutch military personnel.
This tests raise some questions, especially because NATO, in particular, Washington, is strongly opposed to Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 system.
Greek media had previously revealed that Athens had already conducted training and tests on launching missiles from the Russian system, from NATO’s Khanate field in Crete, and that the test was carried out in the presence of most of the military attaches accredited to Athens.
Greece had acquired the Russian system from Cyprus, which it bought and was unable to activate due to Turkish threats, as Cyprus was forced in 1997 to give up the system in favor of Greece, in exchange for weapons and other military equipment.
Before the start of the latest Greek experiment, the Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted military sources as saying that “what Greece intends to do constitutes a serious air and missile threat facing Turkey,” and that “those who raise their voices against Turkey (referring to the United States and NATO) remain silent regarding Greece’s activities in this regard are remarkable.”
Sources: RT, Asharq Al-Awsat, Anadolu
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