Turkish law enforcement has detained a Russian citizen suspected of planning to down American military aircraft using a drone, Turkish media reports.
The man, identified as Renat Bakiyev by several Turkish news outlets, was detained in the city of Adana, the Haberturk television channel reported, citing unidentified sources in law enforcement.
The Dogan News Agency published a photograph of a man it identified as Bakiyev on Twitter.
The man is suspected of planning attacks on American aircraft at the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey, where the U.S. Air Force fighting Islamic State* in Syria and Iraq are stationed.
The man was allegedly affiliated with IS, Haberturk reports.
Тhe Russian Embassy to Ankara is currently investigating the news, the RBC news outlet reports.
“Today the Turkish media reported the detention of Russian citizen Renat Bakiyev on Turkish soil on suspicion, as far as is known, of terrorist activity,” the outlet cited spokesperson Irina Kasimova as saying.
“The Russian Embassy is conducting the necessary work to clarify the information.”
*The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russia
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