"The contract between Russia and Iran for delivery of S-300 missile systems is back in force," the state-run Russian Technologies corporation said in a statement, adding that the two sides had "signed a contract".
Moscow in April lifted a ban on selling the missile systems to Iran, ahead of Tehran sealing a final historic deal with world powers in July to curb its nuclear programme.
Meh. What difference do they make at this point?
What are the odds that we'd actually attack Iran, let alone that Iran might cheat on their nuclear weapons obligations enough to put that option on the vast table that represents our options in that unlikely event?
UPDATE: And as I've said from the beginning of the crisis that started with the invasion of Crimea, we don't need to provide Ukraine with big ticket items:
Ukraine tripled its defense spending since early 2014, greatly reduced the corruption in defense procurement and within a year had 500 operational tanks and were building 40 new ones a year. When Russia invaded in early 2014 Ukraine officially had over 2,000 modern tanks (T-72 types) but none were operational.
Our help can be with getting our new NATO allies with experience with Soviet-origin weapons to put the big stuff back in working order; capabilities to fill in gaps; intelligence; and training.
And all the talk that Ukraine can't fight back ignores the fact that Russia doesn't have that many decent troops to match Ukrainian escalation:
In eastern Ukraine (Donbas) Russia is pulling a lot of its best troops out and sending them to Syria. At the same time more Russian troops are refusing to serve in Donbas.
Russia can be beaten. But we have to help those who are fighting Russia.
