Washington threatens Ankara over Russian S-400 missile test

SANAA, Oct. 24 (YPA) – United States on Friday condemned Turkey’s test of the Russian S-400 missile system, warning that defense relations with this strategic ally, a member of NATO, could be seriously affected by this.
According to Agence France-Presse, “Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said,” The US Department of Defense condemns in the strongest terms the test conducted by Turkey on October 16 for the S-400 air defense system, a test confirmed today by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Our position has always been clear and unchanged: the S-400 system does not comply with the commitments made by Turkey as an ally of the United States and NATO,” he added.

“We are opposed to Turkey testing this system, and this could have serious consequences for our defense relations,” he added.

Turkish media had confirmed that Ankara conducted the first test of the S-400 system on October 16, a system that had been purchased by the United States and other allies of Turkey in the NATO.

On Friday, Erdogan confirmed that last week his country conducted the first test of the Russian system, downplaying the importance of the American criticism.

Turkey has been threatened with US sanctions under a law passed by Congress in 2017 that provides for automatic punitive measures against any country that buys Russian weapons.

In recent years, I heard the American weaponry after the advanced American missile systems failed to counter the Yemeni missiles that struck deep in Saudi Arabia in response to its continuing aggression against Yemen, and the camera lenses also transported American tanks and armored vehicles as they were trampled under the feet of the Yemeni army and the popular committees.

Several countries, including Japan and India, expressed their desire to buy Russian missile systems, which prompted the United States to resort to threatening language towards those countries.