Russia accused Turkey on Wednesday of failing to meet its obligations under a pact to create a demilitarised zone in Syria’s Idlib province and of helping opposition forces instead.
The RIA news agency quoted a Russian defense ministry spokesman as saying “terrorist” fortifications had merged with Turkish outposts in Idlib, resulting in daily attacks on Russia’s Hmeimim air base in Syria.
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Turkey had amassed troop numbers in Idlib equal to a mechanised division, violating international law, the Russian spokesman said.
Turkish military spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.
The Russian accusation came on the eve of a Thursday meeting in Moscow between President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
They are expected to try to de-escalate tensions that have brought Turkey and Russia dangerously close to direct military confrontation.
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Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 10:05 - GMT 07:05
