Russians Caught Spying on Drone Firm, Owned by Erdoğan's Son-in-law

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 5 December 2020)

Next time, if there is one, pick a target without 

RTE family ties.

Aleksey Petrushko, a reporter for Russian NTV, and cameraman Ivan

Maliyshkin, were taken into custody for filming within an area

of Istanbul where there is an İHA AR-GE  (pilotless air vehicle/drone

research and development) center.  The two Russians, who entered 

Turkey without press accreditation, were accompanied by a Turkish 

citizen and all three are being interrogated for "military espionage". 

Petrushko and Maliyshkin were unaccounted for during the two days

after their entry into Turkey.  When police found them filming the

drone tests of the IHA production firm Baykar Savunma (Baykar 

Defense) without permission they were taken into custody. 

Baykar Savunma owner Selçuk Bayraktar is President

Erdoğan's son-in-law (!).

A statement issued by the Istanbul Governor's office explained that:

"When Russian citizens İ.M. and A.P. were taking photographs and

filming without permission in the area of the İHA AR-GE center, 

they were taken into custody by police, along with Turkish citizen

A.C.K. at about 1030 on Thursday, 3 December 2020.  An 

investigation into these individuals is ongoing and their custody 

has been extended to three days, on the order of the public prosecutor."

                         Hmmm, what does that look mean?