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Putin says Russia kicks off another delivery of S-400 systems to Turkey

Turkey is the first NATO member state to purchase such air-defense missile systems from Russia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin  Mikhail Metzel/TASS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin
© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

ZHUKOVSKY /Moscow Region/, August 27. /TASS/. Russia has kicked off the delivery of the second battalion of S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles systems to Turkey, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"Incidentally, another delivery started from this morning," Putin said, addressing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was accompanying the Russian leader at the MAKS-2019 aerospace show.

A transport plane with parts for the second battalion of S-400 air defense systems landed in Ankara, the Turkish Defense Ministry reported on its website earlier on Tuesday.

"The deliveries of parts for the second battery of S-400 systems to the Murted Air Base in Ankara have started from today. The entire process of delivering surface-to-air missile systems will take about a month," the ministry said in a statement.

As the Turkish NTV television channel reported earlier, Turkey will be receiving two planes with S-400 parts a day.

The first reports about the talks between Russia and Turkey on the deliveries of S-400 air defense missile systems emerged in November 2016. Russia confirmed in September 2017 that the relevant contract worth $2.5 billion had been signed. Under the contract, Ankara will get a regiment set of S-400 air defense missile systems (two battalions). The deal also envisages partial transfer of production technology to the Turkish side.

Turkey is the first NATO member state to purchase such air-defense missile systems from Russia. The first battalion of S-400 air defense systems was delivered to Turkey’s Murted Air Base in Ankara by 30 military transport planes on July 12-25.

The United States and NATO have been making attempts to prevent Turkey from purchasing Russia's S-400 missile systems. Washington has warned on many occasions that it may impose sanctions on Turkey, if Ankara presses ahead with the S-400 deal.

The S-400 ‘Triumf’ is the most advanced long-range air defense missile system that went into service in Russia in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and can also be used against ground installations. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km.