Recent reports suggest Moscow has quietly approached Ankara with a request to sell back the S-400 missile defense systems delivered in 2019. If accurate, this would be one of the clearest signs yet of how the war in Ukraine has drained Russia’s arsenal and exposed deep cracks in its defense industry.
The claim first surfaced in Turkish media and was echoed by Ukrainian outlets, though Turkey has not officially confirmed it. Some reports indicate that Ankara has shown a “positive attitude” toward the proposal, raising speculation that behind-the-scenes discussions could already be underway.
Why would Turkey consider it?
Turkey bought four S-400 batteries in 2017 for $2.7 billion, but they have never been integrated into NATO’s defense network and remain largely idle. Maintaining them is expensive, and many of the 120 long-range missiles included in the package are already halfway through their shelf life.
For some Turkish officials, the system has become more of a liability than an asset. Selling it back could:
- Reduce rising maintenance costs
- Improve Ankara’s chances of rejoining the F-35 fighter jet program (after being expelled in 2019)
- Clear space for Turkey’s domestic projects like the TF Kaan stealth fighter
Why does Russia want them back?
Moscow faces severe pressure on both the battlefield and in its defense industry. Sanctions, supply chain disruptions, and high-intensity warfare have made it difficult to produce complex systems like the S-400.
Experts note that while Russia can still produce basic munitions and drones, mid-tier systems such as air defense radars, tanks, and advanced artillery are harder to replace because they rely on foreign components and precision manufacturing.
This shortage is also hurting Russia’s biggest defense contracts abroad.
- India signed a $5.4 billion deal for five S-400 regiments in 2018, but deliveries have been delayed several times, now stretching into 2026 or later.
- Algeria, another loyal customer, signed for two additional regiments last year.
- Iran, despite closer ties with Moscow, has seen promised replacements for destroyed S-300 units quietly fall through.
Reacquiring the Turkish systems would allow Russia to redirect them to India or Algeria, keeping two of its most important clients satisfied and preventing them from turning to Western or other suppliers.
As one Western intelligence source put it: “Russia can afford to lose Turkey or Iran as customers. It cannot afford to lose India or Algeria.”
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