Russia will start the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to Kazakhstan in 2014 3101146.

"This year, we will deliver to the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan surface-to-air defense missile systems S-300 in sufficient numbers to ensure the protection of airspace," said the Russian Minister, without giving the number of systems which can be delivered.

Previously, it was announced that the Kazakh DCA had only a limited number of missiles S-300 providing air protection of the city of Astana, the capital.

In March 2009, Kazakhstan has signed a contract with Russia for the delivery of several divisions of S-300PS missile systems. Kazakhstan’s Defense Minister Danial Akhmetov said that the country would continue purchasing the missile systems from Russia in the future.

Russia’s Defense Minister said earlier that Kazakhstan has planned to purchase ten divisions of S-300 missile complexes from Russia in 2009 and was considering an opportunity to acquire divisions of S-400 system.

The cost of two divisions of S-300 missile systems is evaluated at $250-300 million. This is the price that Vietnam paid Russia when it purchased two divisions of S-300 complexes. If Kazakhstan plans to buy ten divisions, it means that the deal totals $1.5 billion.

The S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is a series of initially Soviet and later Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz-Antey, all based on the initial S-300P version.

The latest variant, the S-300PMU2, was introduced in the Russian army in 1997, is an upgrade to the S-300PMU-1 with range extended once again to 195 km with the introduction of the 48N6E2 missile.

The S-300PMU2 is able to be used against not just short range ballistic missiles, but now also against medium range tactical ballistic missiles.