“The timeframe of implementing the contract will depend on our partners’ readiness to finally resolve the procedural issues with the financing of this project,” Mikheyev said.

In late 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian officials signed a US$2.5 billion agreement for delivery of the S-400 air defense system units.

The US Secretary of State raised concerns over the deal, but President Erdogan and other Turkish officials rejected the US threat of sanctions, citing existing international protocols agreed to by Turkey and Russia and that the S-400 offer with Russia was a better deal than the MIM-104 Patriot system offered by US.

Turkey received its first installment of the Russian S-400 missile defense system on 12 July 2019. The US threatened Turkey with CAATSA sanctions and on 17 July suspended Turkey from the F-35 program, stating "F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities".

 Until now, 4 batteries consisting of 36 fire units, and 192+ missiles have been delivered to Turkey. (ILKHA)