1st LD Writethru: Russian MoD suspects Turkey of preparing invasion into Syria

Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday it suspected Turkey of preparing an invasion of Syria.

"We have reasonable grounds to suspect intensive training in Turkey for a military invasion of the territory of a sovereign state - the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in an online statement.

"We register a growing number of signs of hidden preparation of Turkish Armed Forces for active hostilities on the Syrian territory," he said.

Claiming that border checkpoints could be used by the Turkish side for preparing infrastructure for a military intrusion into Syria, Konashenkov demonstrated two images of an area near the Turkish-Syrian border taken on Oct. 26 of 2015 and Jan. 30 of this year.

The first picture showed a parking lot for heavy trucks and two small sites on the Turkish territory and on the territory controlled by terrorists on the Syrian side of the border.

The second picture taken on Jan. 30 showed that those platforms were expanded and guarded, while multiple vehicle tire marks were visible.

"Perhaps, in time of peace, these facts would indicate the expectation of growth of trade turnover between the neighboring countries. But in time of war this is a way to prepare the transport infrastructure on the eve of a military intervention," Konashenkov said.

He added that similar sites were used to ensure rapid movement of military convoys carrying ammunition and weapons in the war zone, as well as transfer and evacuation of personnel.

"There are plenty of such examples on the Syrian-Turkish border, especially with the presence of troops and military equipment," Konashenkov noted.

Moreover, weapon supplies and militants transfer to terrorists from Turkish side were carried out "mainly at night" through the checkpoint near Turkey's Reyhanli town and Syria's Sarmada town, according to Konashenkov.

The spokesman also mentioned recent denial by Turkey of a scheduled inspection flight over Turkish airspace carried out by Russian aircraft within the framework of the Open Skies Treaty.

The flight was planned for Feb. 1-5 with participation of Russian inspectors and Turkish specialists, Konashenkov said.

"The ministry regards Turkish actions as dangerous precedent and an attempt to hide illegal military activities near Turkish-Syrian border," Konashenkov said.

He further noted that Russia had recently intensified collecting all kinds of intelligence in the Middle East.

"Therefore, the prohibition of observation flights by Ankara will not hide the illegal Turkish military activity in the region," Konashenkov said.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also claimed that "Turkey's all ungrounded accusations in regard to the Russian Aerospace Forces are voiced in order to find an excuse, or maybe use it as a cover for stepping up its military activities near Turkish-Syrian border."

"Everything that comes from Ankara, much to our deep regret, is really destructive," Zakharova said when noting that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov currently has no plans to meet with Turkish colleagues. Endit