U.S. to impose sanctions on Turkish Authority of Defense Industries over S-400 purchase

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on the Turkish Defense Agency and four of its officials in response to Ankara’s refusal to give up its Russian-made S-400 air defense system, according to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, on a recommendation published in the U.S. Federal Register.

The sanctions, which will be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, will be imposed against the Turkish Defense Industries Presidency (SSB), a government agency charged with managing Turkey’s military technology and defense industry.

According to the recommendation, SSB, “has been knowingly engaged in an important transaction with a person who is part of, or acting on behalf of, the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation.”

According to the recommendation, U.S. citizens would be prohibited from dealing with the sanctioned organization or individual and the assets of listed persons would be frozen in the United States. U.S. authorities would also be prohibited from issuing visas to them.

In a statement earlier this year, the State Department said that the Russian S-400 system, “does not comply with NATO equipment, threatens NATO technological security, and contradicts Turkey’s commitments as a NATO ally.”