Putin says Turkey shot down Russian warplane to 'protect' oil trade with ISIS

In Paris on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of shooting down a Russian warplane near its border with Syria because the country is involved in oil trade with the Islamic State.

"We have every reason to think that the decision to shoot down our plane was dictated by the desire to protect the oil supply lines to Turkish territory," Putin said. ISIS brings in millions of dollars a month by selling oil illegally, and Putin said he had information that shows ISIS oil is passing through Turkish territory, the BBC reports. Turkey, which is part of the U.S.-led coalition carrying out airstrikes against ISIS, denies having ties to the group.

Turkey says the Russian jet entered its airspace Nov. 24, while Russia insists it didn't; one pilot was killed and the other rescued. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the incident "unfortunate," but said because the country was defending itself, Turkey has no reason to apologize to Russia. On Monday, Russia said it planned to ban imports of fruits, vegetables, and agricultural products from Turkey, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded by saying his country would act "patiently, not emotionally" before addressing the sanctions.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up