Units armed with the S-300V4 (NATO reporting name: SA-10 Grumble) and Buk-M3 (SA-17 Grizzly) air defense missile systems have assumed combat duty in the Russian Southern Military District, district spokesman Vadim Astafyev told TASS.

The S-300V4 system (Credit Russian MOD)

"Air defense units armed with advanced S-300V4 and Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile systems have assumed combat duty to provide security for the aerial border and strategic facilities," Astafyev said, adding that the systems had been deployed in the North Caucasian Federal District.

According to the press office, the S-300V4 system can eliminate aerial targets within a range of 400 kilometers (248.5 miles).

The Buk-M3 high-mobility medium-range air defense missile system is designed to destroy aircraft of all types within a range of 70 kilometers (43 miles).

Before assuming combat duty, the crews passed a conversion course and held live-firing drills at a training range in the Astrakhan Region in south Russia.

On November 30, Astafyev said that crews of S-400 (SA-21 Growler) air defense missile systems who would provide air defense for Crimea had conducted the first live-firing exercise at the Kapustin Yar training range in the Astrakhan Region.

The Buk-M3 (SA-17 Grizzly) high-mobility medium-range air defense missile system

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