The Kremlin denies reports that Türkiye returned S-400 missiles in exchange for F-35 fighter jets.
Press secretary Dmitry Peskov asserted that the issue of returning the S-400 air defense system was not discussed between Russian and Turkish leaders, despite international speculation.
The Kremlin has officially denied reports that Ankara is planning to return the S-400 air defense missile system to Russia in exchange for rejoining the US F-35 stealth fighter program.
According to the Medya Günlüğü website, this information stems from speculation about a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkmenistan on December 12th. However, press secretary Dmitry Peskov asserted that this was not on the agenda of the two leaders.
Legal barriers and strategic contracts
Alexey Zhuravlev, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma's Defense Committee, emphasized that strategic arms contracts do not have a "return" policy like ordinary goods. According to him, the terms of the contracts are very strictly defined, and there is no precedent for returning a modern system like the S-400 to the manufacturer.
Military expert Boris Dzherelievsky also noted that returning the weapons could cause irreversible damage to diplomatic relations between Moscow and Ankara. He pointed out that if Türkiye takes this step, bilateral relations will face major changes in nature.
Scenarios for handling the S-400 system.
Özgür Ekşı, editor-in-chief of the defense analysis website TurDef, outlined three options Türkiye could consider: seeking permission from Russia to sell to a third party, reselling directly to Russia, or dismantling the system. However, all options require Moscow's consent, particularly regarding the disposal of the radar station and its core technical components.
Strategically, Russia achieved a significant objective by selling S-400s to a NATO member, creating rifts within the North Atlantic Alliance. However, in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, some experts suggest that Moscow may consider a "suitable formula" for retrieving these systems to enhance its domestic air defense capabilities while maintaining relations with Ankara.