Putin feels he can afford to make a U-turn in Russia’s relations with any organization or country, the latest example being Turkey. Moscow introduced punitive sanctions against Ankara after the Turkish military shot down a Russian jet for allegedly infringing the Turkish aerospace. Since Sunday, unspecified Turkish imports to Russia are banned and charter flights to and from Turkey were stopped. Starting next January, Russia will suspend its “visa-free regime” with Turkey, a tourist destination for more than 3 million Russians a year. Up to 36,000 Turkish citizens, or people of Turkish descent, are living and working in Russia. A campaign aimed at detaining and deporting some of them is already underway.
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