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Two Russian journalists were arrested in Turkey, the channel they work for – NTV said in a statement on December 4th. Journalists Alexei Petrushko and his cameraman Ivan Malychkin “informed the editorial staff that they had been arrested by police…in Istanbul”.
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Both work for the programme ‘Tsentralnoie Televidenie’, which positions itself as a weekly news show.
According to a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the journalists were arrested as they were “filming a drone factory without any accreditation”.
“They arrived in Istanbul for filming, but have received neither permission nor accreditation” to film, the unnamed source told AFP.
The illegal filming was carried out near the facilities of Turkey’s leading private drone manufacturer Baykar, Daily Sabah sources said.
“The Istanbul Police Department detained two Russian nationals (I.M. and A.P.) and a Turkish national (A.C.K.) at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, upon detecting that they were filming, without authorization, near the drone research and development center in our province, where taking photographs and filming are restricted,” a statement by the Istanbul Governor’s Office said.
The statement added that the official investigation is ongoing and on the chief prosecutor’s orders, the detention period for the individuals in question has been extended for three more days.
The Russian embassy in Turkey said it was in contact with the Turkish authorities to clarify the situation.
“We are counting on operational cooperation” on the Turkish side, the embassy said in a statement published on its Facebook page.
Notably, the two Russian journalists were with a Turkish national.
According to most recent reports, the two journalists were facing trial and up to 20 years in prison for espionage if they were found guilty. Those who fall into the “spy” category are usually, after sentencing, are traded over for other “spies”, or returned under external pressure – much less often. Keeping them is a waste, and they are, after all citizens of a “partner” and could be given back against some sort of concession. After all, a citizen of a close ally could simply be given back, freely.
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An example of the release under external pressure is an example of US citizen, pastor Andrew Brunson, who was detained in Turkey not just for espionage, but for anti-state activities. n 2018, the United States put quite serious pressure on Turkey, “slightly collapsing” the Turkish lira, after which the pastor was convicted, house arrest was credited in real time, and right from the courtroom he went to the United States on a military plane to meet with Donald Trump, who welcomed him as a hero.
The second scenario is an exchange: the question for whom will the NTV journalists be exchanged? Here, again, there are two approaches: for Russia to detain a Turkish citizen and exchange him, or to use the existing “pool” of detainees. It, however, appears that there are no Turkish citizens detained in Russia, meaning that Turkey may be given somebody of value to them.
The third scenario, stemming from the “special relationship” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, cannot be counted on. Having received such a trump card, the Turks will not throw it off just for “friendship and cooperation.”
Furthermore, multiple journalists usually have issues with being allowed with journalist credentials in many countries, including Turkey. And usually, they’re fine in traveling as tourists and, generally, there is no issue. In recent weeks, however, there’s been a sort of veiled tension between Russia and Turkey in regard to Idlib, Nagorno-Karabakh, deployment of militants from Syria to assist Azerbaijan and more. As such, Russian journalists do their due diligence when they enter the country. It could be considered that these two hoped that they would be fine with the “tourist” approach, but Turkey is keeping watch on most, if not everything that goes on in the country, and it backfired, just this once.
The court released the NTV journalists detained earlier on December 3 in Istanbul. They are expected to be deported to Russia in the near future. This approach is an unprecedentedly soft for the modern Turkey and demonstrates that despite the existing conflicts of interests in some fields on the ‘tactical level’, currently, Ankara views Moscow as an important partner and is not ready to escalate relations with it over some ‘minor issues’. At the same time, Russia and Turkey, in the current situation, have no large strategic contradictions that allow the powers to actively cooperate on the international scene.
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Bs story, Russia can watch that factory with its own satellites if it wanted to
There a many TB2 shot down in Syria, Libya and even in NK ( 2 of them)…Debris of TB2 are now under Russian hands…
In my opinion the best defense is still an offense
When a drone takes off to strike you, strike the airport from where it took off from, don’t wait for weeks, do it the same day
The Turks with Ukes will soon try to get Donbass, this must be Russia’s tactic
“The Turks with Ukes will soon try to get Donbass”
Huh?!
That will not happen.
“Ukes” didn’t succeed with full NATO-US backing, how can they do anything with Turk backing?!
Also that is no go zone for Turkey and if FSB discovers single Turk military official – adviser near Donbass, Turkey will become dead duck.
“Ukes will soon try to get Donbass”
Well they keep trying for 5 years already with no result at all and they get poorer and more miserable only
Hmm, Crimean Tatar insurgency it is then, they’ll attempt to destroy it from the inside to weaken Russia
Tatar’s were all deported after the war by Stalin (for being pro-NAZI) And some of them were permitted to return by Khrushchev…And they did return, in limited number.
Some have moved to Ukraine (after Crimean referendum).
Others – majority are still in Tatarstan (central Russia) .
So there is handful of Tatar’s in Crimea within total ethnic Russian majority.
“Crimean Tatar insurgency” is myth and wet dream of some US “think-tank”. A dream about taking over Crimea from Russia . Only dream.
Yes but in the meantime people keep getting killed in Donbass from Uki shelling.
thats why SU 24 jets destroyed a Turkish Hangar in Misrata air base ( Libya) after 2 weeks ago destroyed a AD Hawk system and Koral EWS
Why would Russia need that?
That is old Israels know how sold to Turkey by IsraHell.
Russia doesn’t need that
It might be about the new HALE
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Why do you like your own comment
Why are you talking to a bot…just block.
Baby*face journalists who experienced Turkish accommodation in Antalya,Bodrum will face new style of hospitality…After 146 th failed result of espionage attempts in Turkish soil, Russia who owns hundreds of multi-ethnic people in its country will employ cauacaus origin people who will not be noticed in Muslim society easily…xD
Except if they were not spies at all (hat logical explanation escapes you somehow)
Article is just silly attempt of Turkey to give her tech know how importance that doesn’t deserve.
“filming a drone factory without any accreditation”.
It can be easily done by military spy satellite without need o send somebody there….
How the hell video material of factory can be interested and seen as “top secret” material and how can Russia learn anything useful from that?!?
I doubt that even Baryaktar itself, is interesting for Russia, let alone “factory” and its surroundings.
Those 2 idiots have put themselves in mess for nothing
There is literally nothing that Turkey has in your production worthy of Russian spying.
All that you have Russia is producing alredy.
Sure..we dont know the exact story so dont expect bulls-eye commenting…Turkey is no match for Russia in arms industry in all aspects..there is not a question of that…but if spying is the case human factor is still tipping the scale in getting information..Bayraktar is average drone,it doesnt deserves over-estimating…but saying ” There is literally nothing that Turkey has in your production worthy of Russian spying. All that you have Russia is producing already ” is highfalutin statement.
OK hit me with your license produced choppers, drones, any kind of weapons systems produced in Turkey now and I’ll try to find Russian equivalent with the same if not better characteristics already in production or at least as prototype.
(Russian generals might have different requirements so weapons does not have to be the same 100%)
Russian budget is restricted so they choose what to produce…
If you find something that Russia is lagging lot behind Turkey, that is worth spying …..I will APOLOGIZE.
its not a pee race and you dont need to apologize for anything…who says ı am talking about platforms,licensed products?maybe a component,sensor or a minor product which russia can replace with its equivalent to make it cheaper..
OK sorry , my bad..I misunderstood.
In that case you have point.
In that sense there is always something to spy (but not outside of perimeter of the factory like these 2 Russian blond clowns)
It all looks like spy parody… Or even some “spy” movie from 1950 with Jams Bond.
Russia ain’t as dumb and many wishfull thinkers assume they are these days,its a hoax!
Deep state at it again,then again even if this hoax turned out to be true the russians will no doubt give these reichstream stooges the lesson of their careers,if anything compromising strategic security,either way this is a nothing burger and like the other nothing burgers of medias fail too!
And they let these spies walk away without paying a price, what a shame!