Erdogan says Russian steps are against ‘state dignity’

Tensions between Russian Federation and Turkey have complicated United States efforts to prod Moscow into steering its military might towards ISIS rather than Syrian opposition groups.

“According to information we’ve received, the senior political leadership of the country – President Erdogan and his family – are involved in this criminal business”, Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s deputy defence minister, said on Wednesday.

The relations between Turkey and Russian Federation have worsened since last November 24 when a fighter jet was downed by Turkey in the Hatay province for allegedly violating Turkish airspace.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile on Thursday said Turkey said he had proof Russia was involved in illegal oil trade with ISIS in Syria, countering “immoral” Russian allegations that his own family was importing oil from the jihadists. “But if someone thinks that after committing heinous war crimes, the murder of our people, it will end with tomatoes and limitations in construction and other fields, then they are deeply mistaken”, Putin said.

He added that Turkey is the main buyer of smuggled oil coming from Iraq and Syria.

Erdogan strongly denied the allegations, telling an audience Wednesday at Qatar University that “no one has the right to slander Turkey, especially the slander of Turkey buying ISIS oil….”

“We will not forget this complicity with terrorists”.

“We ourselves support Islam and will continue doing so, but the point at issue is the support of a more radical branch”, Putin said last week. Ankara claims the Russian plane, which was on a bombing mission in northern Syria, ignored warnings to leave its airspace.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he offered his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, condolences over the death of a Russian pilot, adding: “It would be unrealistic to say that the problem has been overcome”.

But President Barack Obama and other senior USA officials have also voiced frustration in recent days at lingering gaps in security along a roughly 100 km (62-mile) stretch of Turkey’s border with Syrian territory controlled by Islamic State.

Putin, whose administration has already announced sanctions against Ankara including a ban on the import of some Turkish foods, and reintroduced visas for visitors from the country, insisted Turkey would be made to regret its actions.

It would be the first time the men have met since the downing of the jet.

“Today, we are presenting only some of the facts that confirm that a whole team of bandits and Turkish elites stealing oil from their neighbors is operating in the region”, Antonov said during today’s press conference.