Syria - An order for 6 systems was signed in 2010.[135] Syrian crews underwent training in Russia and some of the S-300 components were delivered to Syria in 2013. Later, due to the weapons trade embargo against Syria and on request of Israel the deliveries were halted.[a] After the Russian Su-24 shootdown in November 2015, batteries of the S-300 missile system were officially deployed in the Latakia province for protection of the Russian naval base and warships in Tartus. These are operated by Russian crews.[citation needed] Russia was reconsidering the deliveries of the S-300 to Syria after the missile strikes against Syria in April 2018, but this did not happen.[citation needed]
Following the Syrian military's downing of Russian Il-20 aircraft in Syria in September 2018 using a S-200 system (for which Russia held Israel responsible) Russian defense minister Sergey Shoygu on 24 September said that within two weeks, the Syrian Army will receive S-300 systems. Though the variant was not specified, the stated range of the system is to be 250 km.[139][140][141][142][143] On 2 October 2018, Sergey Shoygu told president Vladimir Putin during a meeting broadcast that the delivery of the S-300 system to Syria had been completed a day prior.[144][145] On 8 October 2018, Russian news agency TASS reported that three S-300PM battalions had been given to Syria free of charge, citing "On 1 October three battalion sets of S-300PM systems of eight launchers each were delivered to Syria,". According to the source, the deliveries also included more than 100 surface-to-air missiles for each battalion.[146] It is operated by the Syrian Air Defense Force.