MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - Russia and Turkey are continuing to develop military-technical cooperation despite the complicated political circumstances, Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said in an interview with Interfax.
"Clearly, the complicated political situation has influenced certain aspects of Russia's interaction with partners, still military-technical cooperation with Turkey is continuing consistent with the agreements reached earlier by the two countries' presidents," Manturov said in response to a question whether a contract for another batch of S-400 air defense missile systems might be concluded.
Turkey remains an important partner of Russia, he said.
"The countries have close trade and economic relations, and bilateral interaction is developing in many areas, including military-technical cooperation," Manturov said.
As Interfax reported earlier, Turkey purchased four battalion sets of S-400 air defense missile systems, made by Russia's Almaz-Antey, for $2.5 billion.
On October 23, 2019, Rosoboronexport said that Russia fulfilled the contract ahead of time, having supplied Turkey with every element of the S-400 systems, including missiles. Rostec head Sergei Chemezov said on December 7, 2020, that Turkey had paid for the S-400 systems. Turkey successfully performed test-launches of S-400 missiles from its territory in mid-October 2020.
In November 2021, Rosoboronexport head Alexander Mikheyev told Interfax that Russia had started to localize production of S-400 system elements in Turkey. He said that the contract envisages both the delivery of air defense missile systems and localized production of certain S-400 elements.
It was reported earlier that Ankara planned to purchase an additional batch of S-400 systems. "We have no doubt we will buy a second regimental set of S-400 systems from Russia," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on August 29, 2021. The Rosoboronexport head said in the same month that a new contract might be signed before the year-end.