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An alarmed Semyon Bagdasarov warned fellow guests on a state-run Russian TV show that Moscow needed to look again at the country’s close ties with Ankara. The pundit’s panic was caused by the recent test-firing of Turkey’s latest ballistic missile codenamed Tayfun or Typhoon. The surface-to-surface guided missile has a range of up to 500km and was launched from Turkey’s Black Sea coast within easy reach of Russia’s bases in Crimea.
Bagdasarov called for a rethink of Russo-Turkey ties in the wake of the launch, describing Ankara’s actions as a “very dangerous trend!”
“We need to look differently at our alliance with Turkey,” he told Russian TV.
“I’ve said this many times before.”
He pointed out that the location of the test was particularly concerning for Russian interests.
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Bagdasarov asked: “What do you think – which way did it go?
“It didn’t go towards the Aegean Sea, not towards the Mediterranean Sea, not with Turkish territory it was launched in the Rize area.
“That’s Mr Erdogan’s hometown by the way, where he was born, which is located next to Sinop.
“Last tim I was saying that the HQ of Turkey’s Black Sea Fleet is located there.
Along with Russia, the test fire also sparked concern in Greece which has clashed with Turkey in recent months over maritime disputes in the Aegean.
Retired General Frangoulis Fragos told Greek broadcaster ERT that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was looking for the country to design a missile capable of reaching 2,500km.
“It would give Turkey the ability to control the wider region and play the role of a regional power,” he said.
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