Russia moves S-300 missiles home from Syria to bolster Ukraine war effort: Israeli media

Russian forces have relocated long-range S-300 missile systems from inside Syria, according to Israeli satellite images, to bolster Moscow’s aerial firepower as its invasion of Ukraine grinds on. 

Israeli satellite company Imagesat International published a report and accompanying images showing empty batteries that had been full of missiles less than a month ago in Hmeimim on the Syrian coast. 

The missile systems were previously being used to guard the port city of Tartus, where a Russian naval facility is located.

The S-300 systems, operated by Russian crews, had stood largely idle since their installation. 

Russia has been asset-stripping forces inside Syria to bolster its invasion of Ukraine, which has taken a heavy toll on ground, air and sea forces since it began in February.

At the start of the conflict, Russia deployed over 1,000 Wagner group mercenaries to Ukraine, pulling fighters from Syria, Libya and the Sahel to support traditional Russian troops. 

At the same time, a Syrian war monitor said reported in early March that Russia had drawn up lists of some 40,000 fighters from the Syrian army and allied militias placed on standby for deployment to Ukraine.

Several individual have since been hit by international asset freezes and visa bans for recruiting mercenary fighters from inside Syria.