S-400 missile system

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have dealt a severe blow to Russian military installations in the temporarily occupied Crimea peninsula. Reports indicate that the strikes targeted the airport in the city of Dzhankoi, a key hub from which Russian invaders have been launching missiles towards Odesa.

The US still has problems with selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey due to its deployment of the S-400 Russian-made air defense system on Friday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.

Washington has reopened the window for Ankara's return to the F-35 co-production program, on the well-known condition that it removes its Russian S-400 missile defense system from Turkey. Similar discussions had taken place in the past, even with proposed alternatives for relocating the S-400s even to neighboring Azerbaijan, but to no avail. 

The United States is prepared to let Turkey back into its F-35 fighter jet program as long as the issue of its acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system is resolved, Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland has told CNN Turk. 

He then spoke about the order of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, that all air defense systems must be improved, and then he particularly emphasized the S-350, S-500 and never-before-mentioned S-550 air defense systems.

The indigenously developed long-range air defense system is expected to start serving in the coming days to protect Türkiye's airspace, along with the Russian S-400s, as it has completed its final tests.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that the United States had proposed Turkey to send the S-400 air defense system it acquired from Russia to Ukraine, but Ankara declined the request.

A spokesman for the Indian Ministry of Defense said that it was planned to fire one short- or medium-range missile at a fast-moving aerial target, reports India Today.

The focus of the exercises was to improve their ability to defend against enemy air attacks.
The exercise involved the surface-to-air missile regiment of the Fleet Air Defense Formation, with teams operating the S-400 Triumph systems practicing response strategies after receiving a warning about an imagined violation of airspace by an "enemy" Su-27 aircraft.

The Washington-based American Hellenic Institute issued a statement on Monday "strongly reiterating" its opposition to the sale of F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits to Turkey, just as US President Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress to green-light the deal.