Russia delivered more than 120 rounds to complete the S-400 contract with Turkey and started a 20-month warranty.
"Turkey has received two S-400 battalions with more than 120 shells with auxiliary equipment and technical logistics," Russian military sources said on Tuesday, marking the completion of the transfer contract. delivery of S-400 missiles between the two countries.
The source said the handover and reception ceremony was held by the two countries in Ankara in early December 2019, but the contract did not include a provision for technology transfer, though only a part.
The handover ceremony also commences the 20-month technical warranty period. Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport declined to comment for this story.
Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday that the military is putting S-400 systems into operation, ensuring that the process will end in April or May of this year.
Turkey and Russia signed an agreement to buy S-400 missiles worth $ 2.5 billion in December 2017. The United States has repeatedly rejected the contract, saying that the S-400 is incompatible with NATO defenses and threatens F-35 stealth fighters. Washington has removed Ankara from the F-35 program, refused to hand over 105 F-35A aircraft it ordered and removed Turkish defense corporations from the F-35 production line.
The Turkish government has vowed not to comply with US demands to destroy S-400 complexes, threaten to buy Russian fighters to replace F-35s, and warns the closure of two US strategic bases. territory of this country.