Russia Begins Supplies of Second S-400 Regiment to Turkey: Defense Cooperation Agency

KUBINKA, Russia (Sputnik) - Russia has started the supplies of the second regiment of its S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Turkey after the signing of a relevant contract, Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Director Dmitry Shugaev told Sputnik on Thursday.

"The relevant contract document [on the supply of the second S-400 regiment to Turkey] has already been signed, which, among other things, provides for the localization of the production of the system's individual components," Shugaev said, adding that the implementation of the contract has already began.

Turkey remains Russia's important partner, and the two countries have close trade and economic relations with bilateral collaboration actively developing in many areas, including military-technical cooperation, he said.

Shugaev noted that despite the current geopolitical difficulties, the military-technical cooperation with Turkey is developing under the agreements reached earlier between the presidents of the two countries.

Russia is looking forward to continuing working with Turkey on a transparent and mutually beneficial basis, Shugaev added.

The S-400 Triumph air defense system is a unique system and "there is no reason to believe that any state can create in the coming years a system that, in terms of its tactical and technical characteristics could approach the S-400 Triumf [SA-21 Growler] air defense system," according to the defense official.

In 2017, Russia and Turkey signed the first contract for the S-400 regimental kit worth $ 2.5 billion with an opportunity to purchase another regiment later. Deliveries of the first regiment to Turkey took place in summer-autumn of 2019.