Russia goes ballistic in Syria; Turkey issues a warning
Russia does not appear to be forgiving of the downing of its plane after Turkey cited airspace violations. The country has been aiming at Turkey's economic and military ends drawing warning from the country to avoid further conflicts.
Russia warned previously it will retailiate against Turkey following the downing of its warplane. Consequently, it has been doing so for the past days that it has prompted concerns across the globe including possibly risking NATO's military intervention. According to McClatchy, a United Nations official said that the Russian seemingly have "gone ballistic" in their efforts to end Turkey's influence across Northern Syria.
The country has also reportedly been supporting regime forces reach Aleppo. Another example is how Russians have stepped up their bombing campaign across northwest Syria, specifically in Bayirbucack just near Azaz -- strategically important region. Moscow's forces have been targeting Turkey-backed Turkmen rebels and civilians particularly, according to Business Insider Australia. The country made sure Turkish aid convoys took a hit.
Nonetheless, the strikes have always been in support of Russia's goal in Syria: to undermine Turkey's influence and policy in supporting rebels to fight Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The Russians have also been preventing the Turks from setting a "safe zone" for displaced Syrians that can affect the initiatives of the regime to conquer Aleppo.
However, battling government forces are also benefitting groups like the Islamic State.
“Everyone knows that any wrong move creates a vacuum, and the Islamic State will capitalize on it,” a U.N. official who refused to be identified told McClatchy.
“In fact IS has taken quite a bit of ground.”
However, the Syrian crisis is just one of the problems that have been ensuing between the two countries. The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced last Monday that Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov already provided explanations on a Russian sailor who had a man-portable air defence system on his shoulder. The sailor was sailing in a warship navigating in the Bosphorus. Turkey said that the ministry is hoping that no other incidents that undermine the letter and spirit of international laws and the Montreux Convention would happen in the future.
"We confirm that a meeting has taken place. The ambassador met department head Burak Ozugergin (responsible for political, maritime, aviation and border affairs). We are not giving any comments on the content of their conversation," Igor Mityakov, embassy spokesman, told TASS confirming that Karlov was indeed summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
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