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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Moscow will bolster Syria's air defense following the downing of a Russian plane last week by sending a modern S-300 system to the Syrian army within two weeks, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Monday.

In a televised statement, Shoigu said the decision to "transfer the modern S-300 air defense system to the Syrian armed forces within two weeks" was taken by President Vladimir Putin and is one of the "response measures" following the downing of a Russian plane with 15 troops on board which Moscow blamed on the Israeli air force.

"This has pushed us to adopt adequate response measures directed at boosting the security of Russian troops" in Syria, Shoigu said in a televised statement.

"(Russia will) transfer the modern S-300 air defense system to the Syrian armed forces within two weeks."

Syrian military had already been trained to use the system, which was set to be sent over in 2013 but was held up "at the request of Israel," Shoigu said.

"In regions near Syria over the Mediterranean Sea, there will be radio-electronic suppression of satellite navigation, on-board radar systems and communication systems of military aviation attacking objects on Syrian territory."

Moscow says Israeli F-16 planes which struck Latakia in western Syria on September 17 later used the landing Russian Il-20 surveillance plane as a "cover," which resulted in the Il-20 being struck by a Syrian air defense missile.

"We are certain that the realization of these measures will cool the 'hot heads' and will keep them from poorly thought-out actions which threaten our servicemen," Shoigu said.