Georgiy Muradov : Greece's Plans to Transfer S-300 Systems to Ukraine 'Risky Step'

©AFP 2022 / COSTAS METAXAKIS

Crimea's Permanent Representative to the Russian President Georgiy Muradov called on Sunday the intention of Athens to transfer S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine a "risky step" for Greek national interests.

On Friday, Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos said that the country's government is ready to send S-300 air defense systems from Crete to Ukraine if the US "installs the Patriot system in their place."

"Such a move by Athens would be not only a senseless demonstration of hostility towards Russia, but also a risky step towards its own national interests, which the Greek public is already loudly declaring," Muradov told Sputnik.

According to Muradov, the transfer of these systems to Kiev is "certainly capable of radically undermining the Greek defensive potential."

In March, Greece rejected an “informal request” from Kyiv to transfer its Tor-M1s and Osas, arguing that they could still be needed for its armed forces. However, unlike these systems, Greece’s S-300s were never integrated into military’s broader air defense network. Instead they remained stored on the island of Crete. Sources cited in the Greek press said Athens had not received any request for its S-300s from Ukraine. However, Kyiv would undoubtedly warmly welcome the delivery of these systems.

Slovakia recently donated its S-300 battery inherited from the former Soviet Union to Ukraine. However, Greece did not, of course, inherit its S-300s from the former Soviet Union. Rather, Moscow delivered Athens S-300s Cyprus had initially ordered as part of an arrangement to defuse a crisis between Turkey and Cyprus that began in early 1997. Therefore, transferring these systems to Ukraine today would likely prove much more complicated than Slovakia donating its inherited Soviet S-300.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Pope slams conflict in Ukraine as world war

Pope Francis believes that the conflict in Ukraine is a 'world war' and will not end soon, according to his interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC published on Sunday.

"Now (Ukrainian President) Vladimir Zelensky is sending one of his religious advisers to me for the third time," the pontiff reported, "I'm in touch, accepting, helping". "I don't see the end [of the conflict] in the short term, because this is a world war," he noted. "There are already several hands involved in the war," Francis pointed out, "There are many interests.".

Kiev tried to kill Chief of Russia’s General Staff Gerasimov, The New York Times says

Ukraine’s authorities have allegedly made an attempt to assassinate General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, The New York Times reported on Saturday.

According to the daily, Kiev allegedly launched the attack when Gerasimov was on the front line. The newspaper gives neither the date nor any other information about the attack in question.

However, the daily said, Washington was against Kiev’s plans to kill Gerasimov for the worries that an attempt on his life could lead to an escalation. The Americans withheld the information about the general’s movements from the Ukrainians, and then asked "Ukraine to call off an attack — only to be told that the Ukrainians had already launched it."

Russian MoD Holds Briefing on Special Operation in Ukraine

Russian MoD’s briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

• Russian Forces eliminated up to 25 Ukrainian troops, as well as destroyed an armored carrier and two other vehicles near Kupyansk;



• Russian troops eliminated or wounded up to 60 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as destroyed one tank and two pick-up trucks;



• The Russian Army eliminated more than 40 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as destroyed two Ukrainian armored combat vehicles and three other vehicles near Donetsk;



• Russian troops eliminated or wounded up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as destroyed an armored combat vehicle and three other vehicles in the Zaporozhye region and in the DPR;



• Russian Forces hit 109 Ukrainian units at their firing positions;



• The Russian Army destroyed a US-made AN/TPQ-36 radar station in the DPR;



• Russian air defense destroyed one Ukrainian UAV, as well as intercepted nine HIMARS rockets.