Russia Alleges US Pressure on Turkish Airlines to Restrict Citizens’ Mexico Travel

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MOSCOW- Russia has accused the United States (US) of pressuring Turkish Airlines (TK) to deny its citizens passage on flights between Istanbul and Mexico, sparking a dispute between Russian officials and the Turkish flag carrier.

Tensions escalated earlier this week when Russia’s embassy in Anchorage alleged that Turkish Airlines was preventing Russian citizens from traveling to several Latin American countries despite passengers possessing all necessary visas and documentation.

Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Turkish Airlines, TC-LLF, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87311453

Russia Claims US Pressure on Turkish Airlines

According to the embassy, the situation has deteriorated since February, with Turkish Airlines failing to provide written explanations for the denial of transit via Istanbul to Latin America for Russian travelers.

Russian consulate officials have suggested affected passengers take legal action against Turkish Airlines. However, the carrier contends that it is merely enforcing new entry requirements imposed by certain countries.

On Wednesday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed this explanation, asserting that “the issue largely lies with Turkish Airlines.”

“Our diplomatic channels are actively engaged in addressing this matter,” Peskov remarked, emphasizing the constructive and amicable relations between Russia and Turkey.

However, on Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov informed the TASS news agency that the United States was pressuring Turkish Airlines. This resulted in the arbitrary denial of boarding to Russian citizens on flights bound for Latin America, particularly Mexico.

Ryabkov explained, “Regarding Mexico, the reasons are quite apparent. This is due to the pressure exerted by Washington on the country’s authorities.”

Photo: Customs and Border Protection

Concern over Illegal Immigration

Sources suggest that US officials are concerned about Russian citizens attempting to unlawfully enter the United States by using Mexico as a gateway.

Since President Putin initiated his ill-fated war in Ukraine in 2022, travel options for ordinary Russians have been significantly restricted, says PYOK.

While numerous Western nations have enforced sanctions on Russia, alternative destinations such as Dubai, Thailand, and certain Latin American countries have become popular choices.

However, the primary focus of the US seems to be less about preventing Russians from vacationing abroad and more about controlling the influx of Russians attempting to enter the United States to flee their homeland.

According to data from Customs and Border Protection, since February 2022, approximately 73,000 Russians have tried to cross the Southern border into the US unlawfully.

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