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Ankara close to signing deal on purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense missile systems

"We are at the final stage of concluding the agreement and no problems are observed," the Turkish defense minister said

ANKARA, July 18. /TASS/. Turkey is close to signing a contract with Russia on the purchase of S-400 air defense missile systems, the newspaper Eni Safak reported on Tuesday, citing Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik.

"We are at the final stage of concluding the agreement and no problems are observed," the defense minister said.

"I can’t give the signing date but we have overcome all the difficulties. We are close to signing the agreement," he said.

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The Turkish Defense Minister said in early July that Turkey "was working on the issue of financing for the purchase of S-400s." Meanwhile, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said in early June that "there is no talk about granting Turkey a loan for the purchase of S-400s."

The S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the most advanced long-and medium-range antiaircraft missile system designed to destroy all modern and future aerospace attack weapons.

It can hit aerodynamic targets at a distance of up to 400 km and at an altitude of up to 60 km, namely, tactical ballistic missiles flying at a speed of up to 4.8 km per second: cruise missiles, aircraft of tactical and strategic aviation and ballistic missile warheads. The S-400’s radars are capable of detecting air targets at a distance of up to 600 km.

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