Post by SA Hunter on Feb 5, 2016 20:18:26 GMT 10
www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/207544
Russian defense ministry warns it has 'serious grounds' to think Turkey is making 'intensive preparations for an armed invasion.'
Russia's defense ministry on Thursday accused Turkey of actively preparing to invade Syria as recriminations flew following a bitter breakdown in Syrian peace talks.
"We have serious grounds to suspect Turkey is in intensive preparations for an armed invasion of the territory of a sovereign state - the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said in a statement.
Tensions between Moscow and Ankara have been high of late, after Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 jet on November 24, killing two Russian officers.
In response, Russia has issued vast sanctions on Turkey dealing serious financial damage, and likewise a growing military face-off between the two sides has been seen as Moscow continues its bombing campaign in Syria to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
In December Russia deployed its Mosvka missile cruiser off the coast of Syria. While the ship was said to be there to aid the airstrike campaign against Syrian rebels, its arsenal includes nuclear-capable Vulkan missiles designed to sink other warships - indicating the deployment was likely meant as a message to Turkey instead.
Then in January Russia sent troops to the Syrian-Turkish border town of Qamishli, with Turkish government sources saying Russia is "closely watching" all Turkish military movement.
Russian defense ministry warns it has 'serious grounds' to think Turkey is making 'intensive preparations for an armed invasion.'
Russia's defense ministry on Thursday accused Turkey of actively preparing to invade Syria as recriminations flew following a bitter breakdown in Syrian peace talks.
"We have serious grounds to suspect Turkey is in intensive preparations for an armed invasion of the territory of a sovereign state - the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said in a statement.
Tensions between Moscow and Ankara have been high of late, after Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 jet on November 24, killing two Russian officers.
In response, Russia has issued vast sanctions on Turkey dealing serious financial damage, and likewise a growing military face-off between the two sides has been seen as Moscow continues its bombing campaign in Syria to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
In December Russia deployed its Mosvka missile cruiser off the coast of Syria. While the ship was said to be there to aid the airstrike campaign against Syrian rebels, its arsenal includes nuclear-capable Vulkan missiles designed to sink other warships - indicating the deployment was likely meant as a message to Turkey instead.
Then in January Russia sent troops to the Syrian-Turkish border town of Qamishli, with Turkish government sources saying Russia is "closely watching" all Turkish military movement.
