The United States imposed sanctions against Turkey over the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM). They hit the staff of the Turkish defense department and officials, reports Reuters, citing official statements from the US authorities.
It is clarified that the restrictive measures will affect the heads of the secretariat of the Turkish defense industry Ismail Demir, other employees of the department, as well as three more individuals associated with the deal between Ankara and Moscow.
The fact that the United States is preparing new sanctions due to the deal was reported on December 10. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the US sanctions “disrespect for a NATO partner.”
Earlier in December, Turkey paid off with Russia for the supply of S-400 air defense systems. The head of the state corporation “Rostec” Sergei Chemezov said that Ankara will have to decide on the supply of the second batch of S-400.
Deliveries of the S-400, which caused a crisis in relations between Turkey and the United States, began in mid-July 2019. Washington demanded to abandon the deal and purchase American Patriot complexes in return, threatening to delay or even cancel the sale of the latest F-35 fighters to Turkey.
