Crimea: Greece's Plans to Transfer S-300 Systems to Ukraine 'Risky Step'

SIMFEROPOL, Russia, (Sputnik) - Crimea's Permanent Representative to the Russian President Georgiy Muradov called on Sunday the intention of Athens to transfer S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine a "risky step" for Greek national interests.

On Friday, Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos said that the country's government is ready to send S-300 air defense systems from Crete to Ukraine if the US "installs the Patriot system in their place."

"Such a move by Athens would be not only a senseless demonstration of hostility towards Russia, but also a risky step towards its own national interests, which the Greek public is already loudly declaring," Muradov told Sputnik.

According to Muradov, the transfer of these systems to Kiev is "certainly capable of radically undermining the Greek defensive potential."

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.