Turkey rejects the US criticism of the Russian S-400 missile system and says that it “was fighting relentlessly against many dangers and threats in a wide geographical area”

Turkey on Saturday rejected Washington’s criticism of it after it considered that Ankara’s purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia does not comply with the commitments it made to NATO.

On Friday, the United States condemned Turkey’s test of the S-400 air defense system, warning that “this has serious consequences” for defense relations with Ankara.

“The S-400 system is inconsistent with the commitments made by Turkey as an ally of the United States and NATO,” said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman.

A spokeswoman for the Turkish Defense Ministry, Shebnem Oktub, responded that “the assertion that Turkey… violates its obligations towards NATO does not take reality into account,” noting that her country “was fighting relentlessly against many dangers and threats in a wide geographical area”.

She added that “Turkey’s goal is not to anger anyone, but to ensure the safety of its people”.

It added that Turkey intends to use the S-400 system without integrating it into the NATO command and control network.

Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 system in the context of its rapprochement with Moscow has caused disputes with several Western countries that say the Russian system is not compatible with NATO equipment.

In response to the delivery of the first Russian battery last year to Ankara, the United States suspended Turkey’s participation in the program to manufacture modern US F-35 warplanes, believing that the S-400 system could cause its technological secrets to be revealed.

Turkish media confirmed that Ankara conducted the first test of the S-400 system on October 16, and the test was officially confirmed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday for the first time.

“This is true,” he told reporters in Istanbul, “the tests have taken place and will continue”.

“We will not ask permission from the Americans,” he added, responding to Washington’s criticism.