Russia has proposed buying back the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems previously sold to Turkey, according to reports from Turkish resource NEFES and the Ukrainian resource front_ukrainian. Ankara is reportedly open to discussing the repurchase, as it seeks the lifting of American sanctions imposed after the original S-400 purchase in 2019. The Turkish resource NEFES first reported the development on September 13th, 2025. Moscow's stated reason for the buyback proposal is that Turkey is not actively utilizing the S-400 systems and intends to resell them. However, experts suggest that Russia's true motive is to partially offset losses of its own anti-aircraft missile systems sustained during the ongoing war with Ukraine, and that Russia does not intend to resell the systems. These developments occur against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in Eastern Europe, with NATO continuing Operation Eastern Sentry to bolster its eastern flank in response to escalating Russian airspace violations, including drone incursions into Poland on the night of September 9-10, 2025. The UN has also expressed deep concern over these incursions, with 46 member states signing a statement condemning Russia's actions. In parallel, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Odesa on September 13th, 2025, accompanied by British philanthropist Lord Ashcroft, while the European Union Council extended sanctions against Russia for an additional six months.
