According to the British newspaper The Times, Turkey continues to allow Russian yachts to reach its coasts despite Western sanctions imposed on owners of luxury yachts owned by a Russian oligarch, which may expose Ankara to similar penalties in the future if it continues to receive these yachts, which have numbered at least 9 in each of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas so far.
A Russian scholar and Turkish affairs specialist stated that Russian yachts dock in Turkish ports since Turkey is not a risky place for Russian oligarchs, especially because it does not impose economic restrictions on them.
Ikbal Dora, a Russian university lecturer, told Al Arabiya.
Considering that Turkey allows the owners of these ships to avoid the Western economic penalties placed on them, and as a result, the Turkish coast has become a safe haven for them.
He noted that at this difficult era, Turkey wants the Russian affluent to strengthen its image as a country that can be trusted with their property, and in exchange, it places tremendous value on the hot money pouring from Russia, especially given Turkey’s ongoing economic problems.
The Russian professor also cautioned that allowing Russian oligarchs to visit its beaches on yachts would expose Turkey to US and European penalties in the future.
According to Dora, the possibility of sanctions remains, and as a result, Turkish banks are very cautious in their dealings with Russia, approving only transactions connected to agreements with Russian enterprises that are not subject to US sanctions.
He went on to say that the US appears to have allowed Turkey to play the role of mediator in Russia’s foreign trade, especially since Western companies benefit from using Turkey as a Russian crossing point, and that Turkey’s continued role as a mediator will make it vulnerable to Western sanctions as tensions between the Russian and American sides rise.
Despite the application of Western sanctions on their owners, three Russian boats owned by a Russian tycoon neared Turkish ports this week.
According to the British publication The Times, the three yachts crossed Turkish territorial seas and are now near the shore of Bodrum in southeastern Turkey, although the Turkish side has provided no information concerning the presence of the Russian tycoon on board.
According to the British publication, one of the three boats that neared the Turkish shore is owned by Leonid Mikhelson, a Russian tycoon connected to the Kremlin who had travelled from the Caribbean islands to Turkey when his navigation system failed during the journey.
The boats owned by the Russian oligarch and docked in Turkish ports are worth around $2. 5 billion US dollars.
The Russian boats that are now anchored in Turkish ports were docked in France, Spain, Italy, and Greece at this time last year.
Johnson, who is slated to leave office next month, talked with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a news conference during his third visit to Ukraine this year.
Britain and Ukraine’s friends remain united in their support for Kyiv and the Ukrainian people, according to the British Prime Minister.
He went on to say that Ukraine has a strong will to resist. This is something (Russian President Vladimir) Putin could not understand.
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