Turkey on August 28 accused Greece using Russian air defense systems to harass these water aircraft on duty.

The incident took place on August 23 when the Greek S-300 missile system was deployed on the CRETE island that locked the target to the Turkish F-16 jet aircraft flying at an altitude of over 3,000 meters.

The move is not consistent with the spirit of the alliance (NATO), the sources added.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stepped down from the F-16 fighter at the airport in Istanbul in September 2018.

Turkey in recent months has constantly complained about what they called the provocative action of Greece, saying that such moves weakened peaceful efforts.

The two neighboring NATO countries have a long -standing border dispute, leading to almost daily patrols and interceptions, mainly around the Greece's islands near the Turkish coast.

Athens accused Ankara intentionally flying through his islands.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut off the dialogue after allegedly that the Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis campaigned the corridor against the US selling weapons to his country.

Washington punished Ankara for transferring a Russian advanced missile defense system in 2019. This transaction left the US Turkey from the F-35 joint attack program.

However, the President Joe Biden's administration has signaled that the United States is willing to ignore the controversy and there have been a number of negotiations on the purchase of F-16 fighters between the two sides.

Rhodes island position of Greece (red star).

The sources of the Turkish Ministry of Defense said Greece also bought Russian -made air defense systems, thereby accusing Western countries pursuing double -sided policies.

Athens is concerned about American weapons in an effort to increase his air force when tensed with Ankara escalated.