Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a series of economic sanctions against Turkey in the aftermath of the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish F-16s on Tuesday. The move, which was announced Saturday, implements severe restrictions on a number of areas, including imports and the work of Turkish nationals in Russia, reported BBC News.
The rift between the two countries has widened since the incident, especially since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refused to issue an apology to Russia over the incident. He even warned Moscow that it was "playing with fire" in its operations in Syria.
Just hours before Putin's announcement, however, the Turkish president took a step back, stating that he was "truly saddened" by the incident, further stating that he wished it had not occurred, according to The New York Times.
The sanctions implemented by Russia include a ban on various goods imported from Turkey, as well as the non-extension of labor contracts for Turks who are currently employed in Russia as of Jan. 1, 2016.
Chartered flights from Russia to Turkey have also been suspended, and Russian tourism companies have been encouraged to stop offering vacation packages that include a stay in Turkey. Apart from this, visa-free travel between Russia and Turkey have also been suspended, and tighter controls over Turkish air carriers have been implemented for "security reasons."
Russia and Turkey are known to have significant economic links, with Russia being Turkey's second-largest trading partner. Three million Russians also visited Turkey last year.
Apart from these, Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, further states that there are about 90,000 Turks currently working in Russia. If the family members of the workers are to be included, the number rises to about 200,000 Turks.
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