Russia, Turkey to Sign S-400 Missile Deal Next Year


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia is likely to sign a contract for the delivery of an additional batch of its S-400 missile systems to Turkey next year, a report said.

The Interfax news agency cited Sergei Chemezov, head of state conglomerate Rostec, as saying on Sunday that the deal is likely to be signed in the near future.

Turkey bought a batch of the missile systems from Russia last year, leading to its suspension by Washington from the US F-35 stealth fighter jet program. The United States has said that Turkey risks US sanctions if it deploys the Russian-made S-400s.

In 2017, Russia and Turkey finalized a deal worth about 2.5 billion US dollars to supply Ankara with S-400 systems, and delivery was completed in 2019.

Turkey is the first member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to purchase such air defense missile system from Russia.

The S-400 missile system is considered the most advanced of its kind in Russia, capable of destroying targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers and a height of up to 30 kilometers.