Turkish army bans personnel from traveling to Russia
ANKARA
The Turkish General Staff has banned its personnel from travelling to Russia during their vacations, amid ongoing political strains between Moscow and Ankara, Anadolu Agency reported on Dec. 13.All army personnel must take permission and give logistical information about any foreign visits they make, according to the order.
Two Turkish F-16’s shot down a Russian-made SU-24 jet on Nov. 24 near the Syrian border, citing repeated violations of Turkish airspace. Ties between the two countries soured as Moscow launched a series of economic and political measures against Ankara in response.
Turkish businessmen have experienced a range of hardships since the outbreak of the crisis, with a group of them detained by the Russian authorities for making “false statements about their trip to the country” in late November.
The Russian authorities have also begun detaining Turkish ships at its ports, prompting Turkish authorities to increase their checks on Russian vessels at the Black Sea port of Samsun.
