MOSCOW, July 16: Russia will beef up its missile defence by deploying the long-delayed S-400 Triumph missile system around Moscow later this month, an air force spokesman said on Monday.

“One division and a command point will be put into combat duty at the end of the month,” air force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky said, Interfax reported.

Russia successfully tested

S-400 missiles, also known by their Nato designation SA-21 Growler, on Thursday and Friday, immediately before the Kremlin announced its withdrawal from a key European arms control treaty.

The missiles are designed to shoot down medium-range ballistic missiles and aircraft from as far away as 400 kilometres, twice as far as the US Patriot missile.—AFP