Russia rebuffs US threat of imposing sanctions. Says six-billion-dollar worth supply of S-400 missile system to India is moving as per schedule

Russia brushes off US threat of sanctions against India, claims sold to China too

December 22, 2020

No, recognize sanctions other than those acknowledged by the UN Security Council

With the threat from the United States on imposing sanctions, Russia on Monday said that the six-billion-dollar worth deal for supplying S-400 Air Defence systems to India is moving as per schedule. Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev‘s assertion came days after the US imposed sanctions against Turkey for going ahead with a deal for the S-400 missile system manufactured by Russia. China has already bought more than six such systems from Russia.

India and Russia inked a deal for five S-400 systems in 2018 worth over 5.6 billion dollars. These air defence systems will enable India to detect and destroy incoming missiles and aircraft after picking up their flight path more than 400 km away. The systems will start coming to India by 2021 and the entire five systems will be inducted in a five-year schedule. Brushing aside the US caution to India over the past two years about the possibility of sanctions for procuring weapons from Russia, Ambassador Kudashev said ongoing deals with India for military hardware are “advancing well.”

Whatever the future is, we believe that our ties will stand the coming challenges,” said Babushkin, rebuffing US threats on imposing sanctions.

He also said that there is good progress in the procurement of Ka-226 helicopters and the production of AK-203 assault rifles supply to India. “As far as current deals are concerned, we are advancing well, including with S-400 supplies. If relevant decisions to start work related to Ka-226 helicopters and AK-203 rifles production is expedited, soon we will see good progress, which is especially important due to deep interests expressed by the Indian armed forces,” said Russia’s India envoy.

On the US threat of sanctions against India, Kudashev said Russia like India, does not recognize sanctions other than those imposed by the UN Security Council. Roman Babushkin, chargé d’affaires at the Russian embassy, described US secondary sanctions on arms purchases from Russia as “illegal tools of unfair competition and pressure.”

“As far as sanctions are concerned, it’s hard to predict and let the Biden administration first announce publicly its plans and foreign policy vision. We do not recognize or welcome unilateral sanctions as a tool…of interstate or international relations, sanctions other than those applied by the UN Security Council, this is also in the case of Turkey. As far as India is concerned, we share the same platform. India’s position is crystal clear – no sanctions are acknowledged other than those applied by the UN Security Council. Whatever the future is, we believe that our ties will stand the coming challenges,” said Babushkin, rebuffing US threats on imposing sanctions.

Russia is also looking forward to participating in Aero-India 2021, where it will showcase the Su-57, Su-35, and MiG-35 combat jets, Ka-52, Ka-226, Mi-17B-5 and Mi-26 helicopters, and the S-400 missile systems.

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