Russia is to go ahead with deliveries of anti-aircraft missiles to Assad's regime .

Russia is to go ahead with deliveries of anti-aircraft missiles to the Syrian government, the BBC reports.

Sergei Ryabkov, the deputy foreign minister, has said the S-300 missiles were a “stabilising factor” that could dissuade “some hotheads” from joining the conflict.

Earlier Israeli defence minister Moshe Yaalon said the S-300 missile system had not yet left Russia. "I can say that the shipments are not on their way yet," Yaalon told reporters. "I hope they will not leave, and if, God forbid, they reach Syria, we will know what to do," he said.

Israel is worried the missiles could be used to attack its own cities.

Russia's foreign minister said on 13 May that Moscow had no new plans to sell the S-300 to Syria but left open the possibility of delivering such systems under an existing contract.

Guardian