 (1).png){kind=spacer}
2 months ago
9
Russian Orlan-10 drone.
Donat Sorokin / TASS
Turkey secretly blocked the export of U.S. military-linked goods to Russia following warnings from Washington, the Financial Times reported, citing three anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
Ankara, which originally embraced the role of Moscow’s lifeline from Western sanctions, reportedly made the move in recent weeks without a public announcement due to the “political sensitivity” of the issue.
A senior U.S. export controls official traveled to Turkey in August to warn of “consequences” if Turkey did not step back from exporting battlefield goods to Russia.
FT reported that Turkey’s electronic customs system stopped allowing the shipment of items like processors and memory cards found in Russian missiles and drones, as well as machine tools and other equipment used to build weapons.
They are part of more than four dozen categories of U.S.-origin “battlefield goods” that originate from 50 “high-priority” Western-made items, which Western nations say are key to Russia’s imports for its arms industry.
Turkish exports of those sensitive goods fell to $4.1 million in August, after surging from $3 million a month at the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with a peak of $38 million in December 2022.
Some of the battlefield goods are now thought to be exported from Turkey to intermediaries like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The new Turkish trade curbs do not affect exports to these countries, FT reported.
China is the top exporter of those high-priority goods to Russia at $377 million in July.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
