MOSCOW — Russian president Vladimir Putin has accused Turkey's leaders of "collusion" with ISIS, alluding to accusations that Turkey's president benefits personally from the militants' illegal oil trade.
"We know who are stuffing pockets in Turkey and letting terrorists prosper from the sale of oil they stole in Syria," Putin said during the annual state of the nation address. "The terrorists are using these receipts to recruit mercenaries, buy weapons and plan inhuman terrorist attacks."
Putin's remarks came a day after his defense minister openly alleged that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family were "involved" in ISIS' illegal oil trade.
"We will never forget their collusion with terrorists," Putin added Thursday. "We have always deemed betrayal the worst and most shameful thing to do, and that will never change."
The comments were the latest in what has been a deteriorating relationship between Russia and NATO-member Turkey, after the latter downed a Russian fighter jet last month.
Putin has already ordered economic sanctions against Turkey, banning imports of some Turkish goods. He used his address on Thursday to hint that more was to come.
"If someone thinks they can commit a heinous war crime, kill our people and get away with it, suffering nothing but a ban on tomato imports, or a few restrictions in construction or other industries, they’re delusional," the Russian leader said.
"We’ll remind them of what they did, more than once. They’ll regret it. We know what to do."
As well as the sanctions already put in place, Russia has deployed long-range air defense missile systems to Syria and warned that it would shoot down any aerial threat to its aircraft flying there.
During his address, however, Putin appeared to downplay the involvement of the military in Russia's response. "We won’t be rattling sabers," he said.
Nevertheless, he did not shy away from his previously strong rhetoric following the incident, which he has described as "a treacherous stab in the back."
He said in his address that a "certain part" of Turkey’s ruling establishment was "directly responsible"! of our pilots."
