Greece rebuffs speculation over transfer of S‑300 missile systems to Ukraine
Speculation about Greece sending S-300 systems and related missiles to Ukraine started after the announcement of an agreement with the United States. As part of the agreement, Greece will acquire 40 F-35 fighters from the US to be stationed in the Mediterranean Sea. The American administration frequently asks its partners to provide older weapons to Ukraine in return for advanced technologies supplied by them. However, these requests do not always garner full support, and this is precisely the situation with Greece, a country that has aided Ukraine in the past but now firmly says "no".
The Greek S-300 missile system will not be passed to Ukraine
"There must be a boundary to the spread of false news, particularly concerning a country's interests and global image. There is no truth in this topic, and I categorically deny it. Greece has no intention to compromise its national defence," said Pavlos Marinakis, the spokesperson for the Greek government.
Much of the Greek army's equipment comprises Soviet and Russian solutions. The Tor-M1, Osa-M, and several hundred ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns come to mind regarding air defence systems. These may have been part of the discussion between Washington and Athens.
However, the most crucial piece of hardware from Ukraine's perspective is the S-300 systems, which maintain significant capabilities even though its successor, the S-400 system, is already in action.
The S-300 system includes long-range ground-to-air missile systems that can hit targets roughly 200 kilometres away and at heights of over 27 kilometres. The S-300 system missiles are equipped with substantial fragmentation warheads—sometimes even weighing up to 180 kilograms. After launch, they can reach speeds of up to 1,500 metres per second.
Greece's assistance to Ukraine
The denial of providing air defence systems does not demonstrate Greece cutting ties with Ukraine. Greece is a country that has thus far staunchly supported Ukraine's defence force by providing a plethora of valuable ammunition.
Greece has supplied Ukraine with combat infantry vehicles BMP-1, portable anti-aircraft missile systems FIM-92 Stinger, anti-tank grenade launchers RPG-18, and various types of ammunition, including 122mm calibre rocket shells. These shells are employed in Soviet artillery used by the Ukrainians, a resource that many NATO countries no longer have at their disposal.
