Russia Accuses Turkey’s President Erdogan Of Illegal Oil Trade With ISIS

But the defence ministry accusations against Erdogan are the first implicating the Turkish leader directly, as the Kremlin refuses to let the pressure drop after slapping economic sanctions on Ankara.

Antonov also mentioned the existence of satellite images showing oil tankers travelling from ISIS’s territories to Turkey, while Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi hinted that arms’ trafficking is taking place at the borders between Syria and Turkey. “We just don’t believe that to be true in any way, shape or form”, a State Department spokesman said.

“We are absolutely convinced… that the final destination of the stolen oil is Turkey”, said Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov to journalists in Moscow.

“Turkey is the main buyer of oil stolen by IS”.

The United States on Wednesday flatly rejected Russian allegations that the Turkish government was in league with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants to smuggle oil from Syria.

“President Erdogan and his family are involved in this criminal business”, Antonov said.

“No one has a right to engage in slander against Turkey by saying that Turkey is buying oil from Daesh (ISIS)”, Erdogan said to Turkish television during his visit to Qatar. “What a marvelous family business!”

Russian Federation claims Turkey shot down its plane to protect what President Vladimir Putin has described as Turkish profiteering from the IS oil trade. Their strong language reflects their president’s conviction that Turkey has “stabbed Russian Federation in the back”.

Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad says Russia’s involvement in his country’s war has led to significant changes, including the “shrinking” of the Islamic State (IS) group.

Tensions between Russia and Turkey reached crisis mode last week when Turkey downed a Russian jet after it reportedly ignored several warnings.

In response, Erdogan has made a public promise to resign if accusations about his illegal oil ties to ISIS are proven, flatly denying the charges and accusing Russian Federation of slandering Turkey. Putin alleges the plane was shot down in retaliation for Russian bombing campaigns against ISIS oil smugglers, many of whom do business on the Turkish black market.

“Our goal and the goal that we urge you for, ladies and gentlemen, is to block sources of terrorist funding in a joint effort”, Antonov said.

According to Iraqi intelligence and USA officials, IS earns up to $50 million a month from sellling crude from oil fields under its control in Iraq and Syria.