2 January 2015, 14:01 GMT
MOSCOW, January 9 (Sputnik) — Russia's Northern Fleet has increased its air defense capability with the addition of S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems, the Fleet's spokesperson Vadim Serga said Friday.
"A division of air defense of the Northern Fleet has adopted into service new S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems," Serga stated without giving further details.
The S-400 Triumph long- to medium-range surface-to-air missile system can engage any aerial target, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
The S-400 is expected to form the cornerstone of Russian air and missile defense by 2020 with 9 regiments already deployed across the country as of December 2014.
The bolstering of Russia's Northern Fleet with S-400 systems comes amid the country's strategy to boost its presence in the Arctic region. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted in December that the country is not planning to militarize the Arctic, but is merely taking necessary measures to ensure a secure defense in the region.
