“Why is Russia sending a powerful new surface-to-air missile system to Syria? There are any an array of theories. The Russian military announced this past week that it intends to install an S-300V air defense system at the Syrian port of Tartus, where Russia maintains a Navy facility. The Russians may be worried that the U.S. will soon launch a far more aggressive air campaign that targets the Syrian regime of President Bashar al Assad. Or the Russians may be sending a political message about their intent to be a player in the Middle East. “

Source: Decoding Russia’s latest provocative move in Syria