Turkey ignored U.S. warnings as it continued on Saturday to take delivery of Russia’s S-400 missile defence system near Ankara, a Defence Ministry statement indicated.
“Delivery of S-400 Long Range Air and Missile Defence Systems resumed today,” the statement said. “The fourth Russian plane carrying S-400 parts landed at Murted Airport outside Ankara,” it added. The U.S. fears that if Ankara integrates the S-400 into its defences, data about the U.S.-built F-35 fighter jet could leak back to the Russians, and Washington has threatened to deny Turkey access to the stealth aircraft. NATO is also “concerned about the potential consequences” of the S-400 purchase, said an official.