A third battalion of air defense systems S-400 Triumf has entered duty in Crimea, the Black Sea Fleet’s spokesman told the media on Friday.

"Combat crews of the S-400 air defense missile systems organic to the Air Force and Air Defense group of the Southern Military District have entered duty in Yevpatoria," Rulyov said.

Similar systems went operational in Feodosiya in January 2017 and in Sevastopol in January 2018.

The air defense system S-400 Triumf is meant for hitting current and future means of air attack including strategic bombers and ballistic and cruise missiles as well as surface targets. The system is capable of intercepting targets as a far away as 600 kilometers and hit them at a distance of 400 kilometers and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.