Syria has received the first shipment of an advanced Russian air defence system and will soon get the rest of the S-300 missiles.

That’s according to President Bashar al-Assad who is quoted in a Lebanese newspaper.

His remarks to the al-Akhbar daily may surprise the West as it has only been a few days since Russia said it would deliver the system despite Western objections after the EU let its arms embargo on Syria expire.

Moscow which is an ally of Syria criticised the EU move as it opens the way towards arming the Syrian rebels. Russia has warned against any foreign interference in the Syrian conflict and said it would send the missiles in order to help stabilise the regional balance.