Russia complained to Turkish officials about Ukraine’s military using drones manufactured in the transcontinental country, CNN reported. 

A Turkish official addressed this in a media briefing on Friday, saying Ankara has already told Moscow that Baykar Technologies, the Turkish drone maker, is a private company. Moreover, Ukraine’s purchase had been completed before the war began when President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into the NATO-leaning nation on February 24. 

As per CNN’s reports, Ukrainian troops have championed Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 drones since it is one of the most effective weapons at their disposal. 

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The newsgroup also interviewed Selcuk Bayraktar, the chief technology officer of the company and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son-in-law. Bayraktar had said the drone was “doing what it was designed to do and upgraded to do”. 

Notably, the complaint against Turkey is a mark on the country’s otherwise balanced stance regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict. It shares a maritime border in the Black Sea and has good ties with both nations. 

Since the invasion began, Turkey has condemned Russia’s actions and urged a ceasefire, but it has also opposed unilateral sanctions on Moscow as part of the pushback strategy organized by NATO members. 

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Despite Turkey’s existing relations, Ankara has locked horns with Moscow in the past. The sale of drones to Ukraine was always an issue that enraged Russia, and Turkey has also opposed Moscow’s policies in Libya and Syria, apart from the 2014 invasion of Crimea. 

Thus far, Turkey has been hosting some high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine, where the two nations have been trying to reach a ceasefire agreement. 

Unfortunately, no such agreement has been reached as Russia continues to bombard several Ukrainian cities. Turkey has offered to help in this regard, extending the chance for Mariupol residents to evacuate by boat as the situation grows exceedingly dire in the Azov Sea port city.