Russian Ambassador to Ankara Vladimir Ivanovsky was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry for an explanation on the “prohibited goods” on board of Syrian aircraft. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed this information.
Airbus A320 of SyrianAir airlines, which followed from Moscow to Damascus, was arrested on the evening of October 10 in Ankara on suspicion of transporting weapons. Turkish Air Force fighters forced it to land, as the information was received about the illegal cargo.
There is no official explanation what was transported in the airplane. Turkish media reported that there were found some communication equipment, which is used for military purposes. Russia and Syria categorically deny the existence of military cargo.
Moscow demanded explanations from Turkey in connection with the incident. The Russian Foreign Ministry was outraged by the way Ankara treated 17 Russians on board the aircraft. They were held in the plane for 8 hours without food, and the Russian embassy found it out only from the press.
It was also noted the Kremlin does not need to use passenger planes to deliver military supplies to Syria. Russia continues to fulfill its obligations of military contracts with Damascus. Moscow only promises not to deliver new weapons and not to enter into new contracts, until the situation in the country is normalized.
