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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that his country had tested the Russian S-400 air defense system and said Ankara had not heeded Washington’s objections to this measure.
Erdogan told reporters: “The tests have been carried out and are being carried out. The position of the United States does not concern us at all. If we do not test these capabilities that we have, what will we do?”
Turkey reached an agreement with Russia to buy the S-400 system in 2017, and the delivery of the first 4 missile batteries, valued at 2.5 billion dollars, began in July last year.
Erdogan added that Turkey would continue to test military equipment, including light, medium and heavy weapons, many of which it had purchased from the United States.
“It seems that the gentlemen (in the United States) are particularly upset that this weapon is from Russia. We are determined and will continue on our way as we always have been … we will not ask the Americans for permission,” he said.
The Turkish president was surprised that Greece, which is also a member of NATO, had Russian S-300 missiles, without the United States being intercepted.
And local media said that the Turkish army had tested an S-400 system missile in the city of Sinop (north), and the news was not confirmed before Erdogan’s speech today to reporters in Istanbul.
Erdogan pledged to test new types of advanced weapons (Anatolia)The American position
Earlier, US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said: “If confirmed, we will condemn in the strongest terms the S-400 missile test which is inconsistent with Turkey’s responsibilities as a NATO ally and partner. United States Strategic “.
He added: “The United States has clearly stated that it does not want to activate the S-400 system and has clearly warned us of the potentially serious repercussions on our security relations should Turkey activate the system.”
Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 system in the context of its rapprochement with Moscow has sparked disputes with several Western countries, which consider that the Russian system is not compatible with NATO equipment.
In response to the delivery of the first battery last year, the United States suspended Turkey’s participation in the program to make modern American warplanes, “F-35” (F-35), saying that the S-400 system could have your tech secrets revealed.
Despite repeated threats from Washington, Erdogan confirmed several times that the system would be implemented. Ankara defends its choice saying that the United States refused to sell it the Patriot air defense system.
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