China to make advance payment for the delivery of Russian S-400 air defense system TASS 31103165.

"We still have to go through a whole number of formal procedures, which we have not yet completed, although we have already received an advance payment. I believe we’ll settle these procedures by the end of the year," Chemezov said.

The deliveries of S-400 air defense missile systems to China under this contract may begin in the first quarter of 2017, Chemezov said.

A source in the system of Russia’s military and technical cooperation told TASS earlier that Beijing would receive the first S-400 air defense missile systems no sooner than in twelve or eighteen months.

China’s deal to purchase S-400 Triumf systems was officially announced in the spring of 2015. Head of Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Anatoly Isaikin did not disclose at the time the details of the contract, in particular, its value, the number of S-400 systems that would be purchased by China or the timeframe of the deliveries.