Turkey’s acquisition date for the second regiment of Russian S-400 air defense systems is a “purely technical issue”, Ismail Safi, a member of the Security and Foreign Policy Council of the Turkish Presidential Administration, told RIA Novosti.
“The date of purchase of the second S-400 kit is a purely technical issue. I think this will not happen too late”, – he said.
Earlier, the director general of Rosoboroexport, Alexander Mikheev, said in an interview with RIA Novosti that the contract on the option for S-400 for Turkey is planned to be signed in 2020.
This year, Russia completed a contract for the supply of four S-400 divisions to Turkey in the amount of $ 2.5 billion. The contract also includes the option for another regiment kit.
Deliveries of the latest Russian S-400 air defense systems, which caused the crisis in relations between Turkey and the United States, began in mid-July. According to Erdogan, the C-400 will be fully operational in April 2020.
Washington demanded a refusal of the deal and in exchange to acquire the American Patriot systems, threatening to delay or even cancel the sale of the latest F-35 fighters to Turkey, as well as impose sanctions in accordance with CAATSA (Law on Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions). Ankara refused to make concessions.