According to Korotchenko, the deployment of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems has significantly changed the military-political situation in Syria.
"I think this has caused the effect of a ‘cold shower' on hot heads of the Pentagon generals. The presence of such powerful, long-range air defense missile systems is a serious military-political factor that contributes to the neutralization of the threats and the US saber-rattling," Korotchenko told Sputnik.
He noted that prior to the deployment of the S-300 systems the US publicly announced the possibility of carrying out airstrikes against Syrian government forces, but the move has changed the balance of power and forced the US to reconsider its position.
"These modern anti-aircraft missile systems have changed the balance of power as they have deprived Americans of the hypothetical possibility to carry out airstrikes with impunity. And we see that the Pentagon has already adjusted its strategy: mere words are one thing, but the fact that there is a real military force behind Russia is quite another. In this regard the Americans, of course, have to take into account the circumstances," Korotchenko said.
Similar opinion was voiced by retired colonel Mikhail Khodarenok, who believes that Russia has deployed the S-300V4 "Antey-2500" and the S-400 Triumf to the Syrian port city of Tartus and the Hmeymim airbase respectively to show the bare minimum that Moscow requires to "prevent military hotheads from the other side from making rash decisions."
Recently, Russia deployed the S-300 air defense system in Syria's port city of Tartus in addition to S-400 currently stationed at Russia's Hmeymim airbase in the Latakia province. Commenting on the issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the Russian S-300 and S-400 systems in Syria threaten no one and are stationed there exclusively for defensive purposes.
"The S-300 appeared there [in Syria] after experts close to the American establishment had started leaking information…that the US could hit Syrian airfields with cruise missiles," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in an interview with Russia's Dozhd TV channel.
S-300V4 (NATO designation SA-23 Gladiator) is meant to track and intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missile, aeroballistic and cruise missiles, as well as fixed-wing aircraft, ECM (electronic countermeasure) platforms and precision-guided munitions.
