Russia warned Turks of coup
Russian military intelligence in the northern Syrian province of Latakia, a few miles south of the Turkish border intercepted a series of encoded radio messages exchanged between Turkish commanders in the early hours of July 15 and pass this information to Turkish intelligence.
Russian intelligence officials told the government in Ankara that the Turkish military was preparing a coup. Turkish intelligence was urgently alerted by the Russians hours before [the military coup] was initiated on Friday.
The secret preparations for the coup first came to the attention of Russian military intelligence. Its radio interceptors captured —and were subsequently able to read— a series of encoded radio messages exchanged between Turkish commanders in the early hours of July 15. Such intercepts were likely carried out from among the significant presence of Russian military intelligence in the northern Syrian province of Latakia, a few miles south of the Turkish border.
The intercepted messages contained “highly sensitive army exchanges” involving a plan to send army helicopters to the Turkish resort port of Marmaris, where the Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan was holidaying, in order to kill or capture him. Russian intelligence officials shared the information with senior members of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT). The exchange took place “several hours before the start of the coup” in Turkey.
However, government officials in Ankara will not comment on the possibility that Russian intelligence services may have warned the MİT about the coup. On Thursday, Russian government spokesman Dmitri Peskov was asked directly by journalists whether the Kremlin warned Turkish officials of an impending coup by the military. He responded saying “I have no information of that kind and I do not know which sources [the media reports] are citing in making these claims”. Russia’s TASS news agency interpreted Peskov’s comment as a denial. However, the wording in his response shows that he simply denies having personal knowledge of the incident. He does not deny it happened.
No Surprise.
That Putin's Russia helped Erdogan should come as no surprise, says Jamie Smith, former CIA Officer and founding Director of Blackwater Security. Nor should Erdogan's reaction to the coup by placing blame on the US and locking up the Incirlik Airbase. It seems that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave Turkish President Erdogan an offer he couldn’t refuse. Turkey has been keen to please its new Russian Godfather after Russia turned the screws economically and militarily on NATO’s southern flank. Putin militarized Armenia on Turkey’s border with the Caucasus and shut off Turkish imports.
After apologizing profusely and kissing Putin’s ring, Turkey now says that Russia can use its famous Incirlik air base, a significant facility in NATO’s southern flank.
The statement came from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during his interview with TRT channel. The top diplomat has acknowledged that Moscow might be given the green light to use Turkey’s Incirlik air base to engage Islamic State targets in Syria. As of now, Russian aircraft make their sorties from Khmeimim air base in Syria’s Latakia province.
“We will cooperate with everybody who is fighting Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL),” Mr. Cavusoglu said, pointing out that “…Ankara has opened the Incirlik air base to all those wishing to join the active fight. Why not cooperate with Russia in the same manner? Turkey is ready for such cooperation. Terrorism is our common enemy. Joint efforts are important to avoid negative incidents [among sides fighting ISIS],” the minister said.
Yes, Putin just closed the door on the USA's last try for joint action in Syria…which was their goal.
The secret preparations for the coup first came to the attention of Russian military intelligence. Its radio interceptors captured —and were subsequently able to read— a series of encoded radio messages exchanged between Turkish commanders in the early hours of July 15. Such intercepts were likely carried out from among the significant presence of Russian military intelligence in the northern Syrian province of Latakia, a few miles south of the Turkish border.
The intercepted messages contained “highly sensitive army exchanges” involving a plan to send army helicopters to the Turkish resort port of Marmaris, where the Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan was holidaying, in order to kill or capture him. Russian intelligence officials shared the information with senior members of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT). The exchange took place “several hours before the start of the coup” in Turkey.
However, government officials in Ankara will not comment on the possibility that Russian intelligence services may have warned the MİT about the coup. On Thursday, Russian government spokesman Dmitri Peskov was asked directly by journalists whether the Kremlin warned Turkish officials of an impending coup by the military. He responded saying “I have no information of that kind and I do not know which sources [the media reports] are citing in making these claims”. Russia’s TASS news agency interpreted Peskov’s comment as a denial. However, the wording in his response shows that he simply denies having personal knowledge of the incident. He does not deny it happened.
No Surprise.
That Putin's Russia helped Erdogan should come as no surprise, says Jamie Smith, former CIA Officer and founding Director of Blackwater Security. Nor should Erdogan's reaction to the coup by placing blame on the US and locking up the Incirlik Airbase. It seems that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave Turkish President Erdogan an offer he couldn’t refuse. Turkey has been keen to please its new Russian Godfather after Russia turned the screws economically and militarily on NATO’s southern flank. Putin militarized Armenia on Turkey’s border with the Caucasus and shut off Turkish imports.
After apologizing profusely and kissing Putin’s ring, Turkey now says that Russia can use its famous Incirlik air base, a significant facility in NATO’s southern flank.
The statement came from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during his interview with TRT channel. The top diplomat has acknowledged that Moscow might be given the green light to use Turkey’s Incirlik air base to engage Islamic State targets in Syria. As of now, Russian aircraft make their sorties from Khmeimim air base in Syria’s Latakia province.
“We will cooperate with everybody who is fighting Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL),” Mr. Cavusoglu said, pointing out that “…Ankara has opened the Incirlik air base to all those wishing to join the active fight. Why not cooperate with Russia in the same manner? Turkey is ready for such cooperation. Terrorism is our common enemy. Joint efforts are important to avoid negative incidents [among sides fighting ISIS],” the minister said.
Yes, Putin just closed the door on the USA's last try for joint action in Syria…which was their goal.