Russia Will Target NATO Arms and S-300s to Ukraine

Slovakia, a NATO nation, has reportedly agreed to send S-300 air-defense missile systems to Ukraine, and Russia vowed to target them. This potentially puts NATO in a direct war with Russia. (videos)

Russia has repeated its threat to target arms shipments to Ukraine. Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that any cargo believed to be carrying weapons is “fair game” while vowing to block the transfer of Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems to Kyiv.

“Any cargo moving into Ukrainian territory which we would believe is carrying weapons would be fair game,” Lavrov said in an interview with Russia Today.

Slovakia has said that it is ready to send its S-300 system to Ukraine “immediately” provided that it receives a replacement to protect its own airspace.

We’re willing to do so immediately when we have a proper replacement,” said Jaroslav Nad, Slovakia’s minister of defense, at a joint press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on March 17.

The S-300 is Slovakia’s only strategic air defense system, he said, adding that handing it over to Ukraine would create a “security gap in NATO.”

Lavrov said that Moscow “will not allow” the S-300 system to be given to Ukraine, calling the transfer of the Soviet-era system “illegal.” He cited intergovernmental agreements and user certificates precluding the transfer of Soviet or Russian-made systems to third countries.

FAIR GAME

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