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Russia wants back its S-400s from Turkiye, which it used not only for air defense in Ukraine’s war
Russia asks Turkiye to return S-400 systems amid battlefield losses and effective Ukrainian drone strikes, Nefes reports.
In August and September 2025, the special forces of the Ukrainian defense intelligence, “Phantoms,” actively destroyed Russian air defense systems in Crimea. In one of the latest strikes on the Russian air defense network, “Utyos-T” radar complex, RT-70 radio telescope, and 96L6-AP radar from the S-400 system were incinerated.
Moscow seeks to replenish its air defense stock
According to media reports, Russia approached Turkiye with a proposal to return two S-400 systems, purchased by Ankara in 2017 for $2.5 billion and delivered in 2019.
The reason — a shortage of equipment in Russian stockpiles after battlefield losses, where Ukrainian forces actively destroy Russian air defense systems, including S-400s.
Turkiye is considering the proposal
Turkish outlet Nefes reports that Ankara views the proposal “positively”, but has not officially confirmed readiness to finalize a deal. The S-400 systems are not integrated with NATO, their missiles are already halfway through their service life, and the equipment requires maintenance, creating additional costs for Turkiye.
Impact on international deliveries and allies
Due to the S-400 shortage, Russia is postponing delivery of similar systems to India until 2026–2027. Demand for such systems from third countries is rising, strengthening the Kremlin’s urgency to get the S-400s back from Turkiye as soon as possible.