Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that the first S-350 Vityaz medium-range air defence missile systems had been added to the Russian air force's arsenal.

“The first newest S-350 Vityaz air defence missile systems have been added to the Russian air force's arsenal. [The systems] have recently been deployed to the training centre of the anti-aircraft missile forces in Gatchina [a city in the Leningrad region],” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that the centre had already run tests with the S-350 aimed at detecting and destroying conventional hostile aircraft.

In mid-January, the ministry said that Russia's Leningrad region would be the first to host the air defence missile systems.

The S-350 is developed by the Almaz-Antey concern.