S-400 missile systems put on combat duty in northwestern Russia

Several S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems were put on combat duty on Dec. 8 to protect the air borders in northwestern Russia, spokesman for the Western Military District Igor Muginov said.

"During the combat duty the S-400 regiments will check their integration in the existing system of air and space defense of the Western Military District in the northwestern strategic direction and carry out a series of special trainings," Muginov said.

In August, the S-400 air defense system crews of the Western Military District formation passed retraining courses and performed training firing at the Astrakhan range.

The S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is a Russian-made long-and medium-range antiaircraft missile system designed to destroy all modern and advanced aerospace targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (248.5 miles). It can destroy ballistic targets flying at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per second at a distance of 60 kilometers.

Source: TASS