Turkey has option on S-400 purchase: Russian Deputy Defense Minister

MOSCOW – Anadolu Agency

Turkey has been given payment options in the contract for Russia’s S-400 defense system purchase, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said yesterday.

The clause related to the payment option comes into force following the delivery of the main batch, Boris told reporters on the sidelines of the Russian-Cuban intergovernmental commission meeting in Havana.      

Turkey reserves the right to buy more S-400 complexes at a prior specified price, Borisov explained.      

Russia and Turkey signed the contract on S-400 air defense systems delivery in 2017. Installation of S-400 in Turkey is expected to begin in October 2019. 

Despite strong criticism from the United States, Turkey had signed a deal for the purchase of $2.5 billion worth S-400 anti-ballistic systems from Russia. The U.S. had urged Turkey with sanctions if it deploys these systems on the grounds that it could lead to security problems with regard to other NATO weaponry systems, particularly the F-35 aircrafts.

Akar reiterated that Turkey’s attempts to supply similar anti-ballistic missile systems from the U.S. had failed in the past and that was why it had to contact non-NATO suppliers.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Borisov yesterday also informed that Russian-Indian contract on the S-400 delivery was signed in rubles.      

Russian authorities promote the idea of transactions in national currencies because it circumvents sanctions.