Russia begins rollout of new S-500 air defence system - report

MOSCOW - Russia has completed tests of its new S-500 surface-to-air missile system and has started supplying it to the armed forces, the RIA news agency quoted deputy prime minister Yuri Borisov as saying on Thursday.

The S-500, a weapon Moscow hopes will beef up its own defences and become an export best seller, has been described as a space defence system and can intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles and aircraft.

Russia started testing the system last year and the military have said that the first batch would be deployed around the city of Moscow.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in 2019 that Ankara would also jointly produce S-500 defence systems with Moscow.