What is the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft system deployed by the Nicolás Maduro regime around Caracas and how

In the midst of an unprecedented political and economic crisis in Venezuela, which has has generated an escalation of tensions in the region and a division of waters within the international community regarding the support of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Acting President Juan Guaidó, appointed by the National Assembly to replace it, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) deployed a battery of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles around the city of Caracas.

But what exactly is the S-300 system and how does it work?

The first versions came into service in 1978 and were developed by the Soviet Union a defense system against aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles that can operate in all climates.

Normally, an S-300 battery has a varying number of missile launchers, a radar system and an automated command center. It is generally deployed to protect military bases and strategic infrastructure

Although there are more modern and efficient systems in Russian and American arsenals, the S-300 has been updated and in the region there is no comparison possible.

Venezuela purchased S-300 batteries, in its VM version, in 2009 and received them in July 2013. Up to now, the S-300VM is only used by Russia and Egypt, in addition to Venezuela, although other versions are operational in many countries around the world, including Syria. where they served as a deterrent to the Israeli attacks but, at the same time, they shot down a Russian reconnaissance aircraft by mistake.

Until now, the operational deployment of these weapons in Venezuela has not been reported and, as underlined the Argentinian security badyst Andrei Serbin Bridge on his Twitter account, it is thought that the FANB had trouble preparing them, requiring the badistance of Russia.

In the Venezuelan arsenal, the S-300 works together to Zu-23 guns, Buk-2M and Pechora-2M missiles, in a reinforced anti-aircraft defense system. The whole team is of Russian origin, since Moscow has become in recent years the main supplier of military equipment in Venezuela and in one of his most loyal allies.

The missiles launched by the S-300 VM have a maximum range of 200 kilometers for aircraft and 40 kilometers for ballistic missiles.. The maximum altitude at which they can reach these targets is respectively 30,000 and 25,000 meters. As A battery can track up to 100 different targets and shoot up to 24 simultaneously.

Located in the Capitán Manuel Ríos base, about 100 kilometers south of Caracas, the system can protect the airspace of the capital and north center of the country, where there are many air bases of the FANB.

"What does the Russian deployment to Venezuela mean in geopolitical terms? In the first place, this means that Russia perceives as possible, and not necessarily imminent, intervention in Venezuela.", considered Serbin Pont in reference to the deployment of the S-300.