Russian Federation says it has proof Turkey involved in Islamic State oil trade

“Turkey is the main destination for the oil stolen from its legitimate owners, which are Syria and Iraq”, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told journalists in Moscow.

“Obviously no one but the closest people could be entrusted to control such things [as oil bought from IS]”.

While Moscow says it is also targeting ISIS, the US has accused it of hitting other anti-Assad rebel groups, including fighters supported by Turkey.

Ankara and Moscow have been at loggerheads since last week when a Turkish airforce jet shot down a Russian warplane near the border of Syria and Turkey.

“Our hope and prayer is that indeed Russian Federation and Iran will stay committed to the concept of a transition that really legitimizes governance in Syria in a way that can bring about a ceasefire and in a way that can bring an end to the conflict”, Kerry said. On Wednesday, Antonov specifically named Erdogan and his family for their alleged involvement with the trade.

Turkey claims the plane was in its airspace and ignored repeated warnings but Russian Federation insists it never crossed the border from Syria.

Turkey relies nearly entirely on imports for its total oil consumption of about 720,000 barrels per day. “The cynicism of the Turkish leadership knows no limits”. Later, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Erdoğan of selling ISIL-extracted oil to the market.

The United States and its allies are concerned the Turkey-Russia spat could further complicate efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Syria, where Russia and Turkey support opposing sides.

One Russian pilot was killed along with another saved.

Turkish officials had denied similar allegations earlier in the week saying that Russian Federation wanted to “cover up” its violation of Turkish airspace.

Erdogan said he is disappointed that Russian Federation has escalated the situation by imposing economic and other sanctions on Turkey.

Reports in the past from Turkey’s border with Syria have repeatedly said that Islamic State was smuggling oil, a key source of its revenues, to underground dealers in Turkey.

Erdogan said in Qatar that “those who make such claims are obliged to prove them”.

The decision coincides with Moscow boosting its military presence in Syria, which political scientist Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul’s Suleyman Sah University says now poses a serious threat to Turkish forces.

Officials at a foreign ministers meeting in Brussels said Tuesday those additional measures could include more ships in the Mediterranean, more alliance planes at Incirlik air base in Turkey, and a bolstered missile defense system. Lavrov said he would meet Mevlut Cavusoglu on the sidelines of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe meeting of foreign ministers in Belgrade, the Serbian capital.