Krasnodar, Russia (IINA) – Turkish diplomatic sources said on Wednesday that Russian officers have taken at least 26 Turkish businessmen into custody in Russia’s Black Sea city of Krasnodar, Anadolu Agency reported.
The group was in Krasnodar to attend the International Agricultural Exhibition YugAgro. They were taken from their pavilions by plain-clothed police officers in the fair area to the police station for “passport control”. The businessmen were held at the police station until early Thursday. They then produced before a court.
The Turkish businessmen are expected to remain under police custody for ten days before they will be deported by Russian authorities.
The incident comes just days after two Turkish F-16 fighter jets on an aerial patrol intercepted a Russian warplane within engagement rules when it intruded into Turkish airspace close to the Syrian border. The intruding aircraft was warned about the violation 10 times within five minutes before it was shot down.
The Turkish embassy in Moscow issued an advisory on its official social media accounts for Turkish citizens in Russia, requesting them to carry their passports and other documents and ensure their visas and permits are valid.
The embassy also reiterated that they should “meticulously obey the rules in Russia and warnings of Russian authorities”.
It further warned Turkish citizens who travel to Russia to check whether the travel documents they filled in upon entering the country conform to their purpose of travel.