Tensions Between Turkey and Russia Continue to Grow

Erdogan Accuses Russia of Buying ISIS Oil

After last week’s Turkish shootdown of a Russian bomber over Syrian airspace, tensions between the two nations are continuing to rise with no sign of a rapprochement any time soon. Turkey is threatening retaliatory sanctions against Russia and warning citizens against traveling there.

Turkey is also furious at the Russian Defense Ministry for not only accusing Turkey of buying ISIS oil, but presenting fairly comprehensive evidence to support the allegation. Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu dismissed it as “Soviet propaganda” and that nobody believes what Russia says.

Erdogan wasn’t nearly content with just dismissing the allegations and ignoring the evidence, claiming Russia is secretly the one buying ISIS oil, and also claiming to have secret proof. Unlike Russia, however, Erdogan never released his evidence.

The counter-allegation doesn’t even make a lot of sense, as ISIS is smuggling oil out over its borders, and doesn’t have a border with Russia. Oil is believed to be going out of ISIS territory into Iraqi Kurdistan, Syrian government territory, and Turkey.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.