Despite continued calls for military aid to Ukraine, NATO-member Greece has selected Russian-ally Armenia to receive its obsolete air defense systems.
According to Greek media, the General Staff of the Greek Armed Forces is already “at an advanced stage” in preparing to transfer Soviet-era S-300PMU1, Tor-M1, and Osa-AK anti-aircraft systems to Yerevan.
The move is part of Athens’ broader efforts to “de-Russify” its military arsenal, as these older systems will soon be replaced by Israeli-made defense systems.
Armenia was selected due to its extensive experience with Russian-origin weapons and its access to the necessary spare parts for maintaining and repairing these systems.
Although considered obsolete, the anti-aircraft systems could still offer Yerevan a strike range of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) and the capability to track up to 100 targets simultaneously.
Change of Plans
The Soviet-era weapon systems were initially intended for transfer to Ukraine in exchange for a US-made PAC-3 Patriot missile system.
However, plans were revised due to alleged lack of interest from Western countries in compensating Greece for the transfer.
Additionally, the Ukrainian government has reportedly “cooled” on receiving the obsolete systems following the arrival of more modern Western weaponry.
Instead of the Patriot missile, the Greek government is now investing in Israeli defense systems such as the David’s Sling, Barak MX, and Spyder.