Russia raid Turkish firms, send exports back

Russian police have been raiding Turkish companies in different regions of Russia and, in some cases, have suspended their operations, two Turkish businessmen with investments in the country have told Al Jazeera. Moscow has also started sending back Turkish trucks loaded with exports at the border and stopped Turkish tourists – who normally do not need visas – entering the country, at least two businessmen said. Turkish and Russian foreign ministries, contacted by phone, had not replied to Al Jazeera’s questions at the time of the publication of this story. Moscow’s move comes after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 warplane on Tuesday for allegedly violating Turkish airspace. The two sides, who are at odds over the Syrian crisis, have opposite claims over whether the airspace breach is true or not. “Turkish companies in Russia, particularly construction companies, are being raided,” a Turkish executive with a manufacturing company active in Russia told Al Jazeera, on condition of anonymity. “They check if anyone with expired or no working visas is actively working in these companies or not. They check if working regulations were implemented or not. “There have been serious breaches in this area within construction companies and Russian authorities know it. Activities of some companies have been frozen on these grounds.” Cevdet Seylan, a businessman with trade relations in the city of Kazan, also confirmed that police had been raiding Turkish companies there. SOURCE: Al Jazeera