Turkey, Russia form direct military hotline

ANKARA

DHA photo

Turkey and Russia have established a direct military line between the countries’ chief of General Staffs, as part of measures to prevent a repetition of incidents over Syria such as Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet on Nov. 24, 2015.  

Within the scope of a trilateral mechanism consisting of military, foreign relations and intelligence topics, a direct line of communication has been established between Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and his Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who paid a one-day visit to Ankara on Sept. 15. 

Relations between Ankara and Moscow have been repaired after months of strain since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over the Syrian border for violating Turkish airspace. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 9 in St. Petersburg and Russia has lifted economic sanctions imposed against Turkey after the jet downing.