Turkey has reportedly sold Russian-made S-400 air defense systems to a country in the Persian Gulf, according to a report by the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet.
The publication cited unnamed sources indicating that the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are among the potential buyers, though it emphasized that an official announcement is pending.
The claim, first surfaced by TASS and later echoed by Portuguese outlet Observador, marks a significant escalation in the transfer of Russian military technology to the Middle East via a NATO member.
The report comes amid heightened scrutiny of Turkey’s dual defense posture.
Ankara remains a key NATO ally while maintaining deep military ties with Moscow, a balance that has drawn criticism from Washington and European capitals.
The S-400 systems, purchased by Turkey from Russia in 2019, were central to the US decision to exclude Ankara from the F-35 fighter program.