UPD: Russia fires warning shot at Turkish vessel in the Aegean

The Defence Ministry of Moscow has alleged that an unnamed Turkish fishing vessel in the Aegean failed to respond to warning shots fired by the Russian destroyer Smetlivy in the Aegean Sea on December 13. The shots had been fired to avoid a collission.

The Turkish military attache had been summoned over the incident. According to a statement, the Russian warship had not been able to establish radio contact with the approaching seiner whereas visual signals and flares that were fired also went unacknowledge. The unnamed vessel had sharply changed course after the shots were fired but passed within 500 meters of the Russian warship.

Turkey’s military attache in Moscow has been summoned by the ministry over the incident. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu delayed giving a response, stating that more information was needed from the crew aboard the Turkish fishing  boat before a proper response could be issued.

The incident unfolded 14 miles (22km) away from the Greek island of Lemnos and comes at a time when there is heightened tension between Russia and Turkey on account of Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian military Su-24 jet last month, labelled by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “stab in the back.”

Earlier in the month, Turkey had complained to Russia after a Russian sailor was pictured with a rocket launcher on the deck of a naval ship passing through Istanbul.

The Turkish army on Sunday banned its staff from taking holidays in Russia, reports the state broadcaster. The ban was a “precautionary measure” after the crashing of the Russian jet.