An unexpected result of Russia’s aggressive foreign policy in the Middle East has been Tatarstan’s opposition to the decision to cut ties with Turkey. After a Turkish F-16 downed a Russian warplane that allegedly crossed from Syria into Turkey’s airspace last November, President Vladimir Putin vowed to punish Ankara for what he called “backstabbing.” The Russian government then severed economic ties with Turkey, officially imposing sanctions in two separate presidential decrees (Gazeta.ru, November 28, 2015 and Lenta.ru, December 28, 2015). The sanctions ended or restricted the activities of Turkish companies and companies owned by Turkish citizens in Russia, imposed a …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation