Russia has completed delivery of second S-400 air defense missiles set to Turkey.

Russia has completed the second stage of deliveries of a regimental set of S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey as foreseen by the contract, the Russian Defense ministry said on 16 September.

S-400 air defense systems (Picture source: via Hürriyet Daily News)

Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed the report and said "supplies of the second S-400 battery have been completed at Murted airfield in Ankara." S-400 supplies to Turkey began on August 27, 2019.

Russia said in September 2017 that the relevant contract worth $2.5 billion had been signed. Under the contract, Ankara will get a regimental set of S-400 air defense missile systems (two battalions). The deal also envisages partial transfer of production technology to the Turkish side. The first supplies began on July 12.

The United States and NATO have slammed Turkey’s S-400 deal with Russia. On July 17, the White House said Turkey’s decision to buy S-400 rendered Ankara’s further participation in the US fifth-generation F-35 fighter-bomber program (Lightning II) impossible.