In a Moscow briefing, officials showed satellite images of tanker trucks loaded with oil traveling from IS posts in Syria and Iraq across the border into Turkey.
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“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.
“Maybe I’m being too blunt, but one can only entrust control over this thieving business to one’s closest associates”, he said.
Antonov pointed the finger at the recent appointment of Erdogan’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak as energy minister and alleged that the president’s son runs one of the country’s main energy companies.
“What a marvelous family business!” said Antonov sarcastically.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Russia’s accusations of illegal oil trade.
According to the same source, Turkish President Erdogan said that although Russian Federation is “slandering” Turkey with those serious accusations, he will refrain from retaliating to safeguard the relations between the two countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has called the downing a “planned provocation” and “stab in the back” by Ankara, accused Turkey on Monday of shooting down the plane to protect oil supply lines with the Islamic State.
Lavrov said he spoke to Cavusoglu by telephone the day after the Russian aircraft was shot down, but heard only what Turkey had already stated publicly and “just some excuses”.
“We have recently received additional reports that confirm that that oil from ISIL-controlled territories is delivered to the territory of Turkey on an industrial scale”.
Antonov offered no evidence of involvement by Erdogan or any of his family members in oil trade with IS.
There is no place for Assad in Syria’s future, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday, but the U.S. hopes that the government and structure can remain.
The rising tensions between Turkey and Russian Federation come as both sides continue to bolster their military presence on the Turkish-Syrian border.
Western leaders have been skeptical of Russia’s claims about its airstrike targets, saying that some were aimed at opposition groups that pose the biggest threat to long-time Russian ally Syrian President Bashar Assad.
“Today, we are presenting only some of the facts that confirm that a whole team of bandits and Turkish elites (the leadership) stealing oil from their neighbors are operating in the region”, Anatov stated.
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However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said on Wednesday that he would not refuse an invitation to meet his Turkish counterpart in Belgrade later this week.
