S Ossetian President Denies Rumors of Russian S-300, Topol-M Missiles in Country

President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov denied on Thursday media speculations about the alleged deployment of Russian S-300 air defense systems and Topol-M ballistic missile systems on the territory of the republic.

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) — Bibilov also stressed that S. Ossetia did not see the need to deploy additional Russian servicemen in the republic.

"You know, sometimes journalists like to exaggerate: they claim that we have both Topol-M and an airfield for strategic bombers. Of course not," Bibilov told Sputnik on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), responding to a request to comment on some media reports on the deployment of missile systems in S. Ossetia.

"The weapons that are deployed in the Republic of South Ossetia, and the existing contingent of servicemen, including the borderguards from Russia's FSB, are sufficient to ensure the security of South Ossetia," the president said.

SPIEF, a major global platform for communication between business representatives and discussion of crucial economic issues, kicked off in Russia’s St. Petersburg on Thursday and will continue through Saturday. Sputnik News Agency is the official media partner of the forum.