This was despite opposition from the US. The shipment arrived in an airbase in the capital Ankara on Friday, as the Turkish defence ministry confirmed.

The move prompeted reactions in the US.

Acting US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Friday that the US position had not changed.

Previously the US had warned that Turkey cannot have both the S-400 anti-aircraft defence system and US F-35 fighter jets.

Turkey is also a Nato ally, and a Nato also was not pleased about themove. An official told the AFP news agency that the body was "concerned" about Turkey's acquisition.

Republican and Democratic leaders of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee called the Turkish decision "a troubling signal of strategic alignment with Putin's Russia".

Mr Esper spoke with his Turkish counterpart for 30 minutes but a planned Pentagon briefing in response to the moves by Turkey was called off.

The Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the two men had discussed the purchase of the S-400 missile system, but insisted that it did not mean a change of Turkey's strategic orientation.

Mr Akar said they also discussed a bid to acquire US Patriot air defence systems.