Turkey ignores US warnings over Russian S-400 missiles

Turkey ignored US warnings as it continued yesterday to take delivery of Russia’s S-400 missile defence system near Ankara, a defence minstry statement indicated. “Delivery of S-400 Long Range Air and Missile Defence Systems resumed today,” the statement said. “The fourth Russian plane carrying S-400 parts landed at Murted Airport outside Ankara,” it added. The US fears that if Ankara integrates the S-400 into its defences, data about the US-built F-35 fighter jet could leak back to the Russians, and Washington has threatened to deny Turkey access to the stealth aircraft. The western defence alliance NATO, of which Turkey is a member, is also “concerned about the potential consequences” of the S-400 purchase, an official told AFP. “President Erdogan was given a very clear choice. Unfortunately, he has clearly made the wrong one,” said Eliot Engel and Michael McFaul, the top Democrat and Republican respectively on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.