Turkey’s state-run TRT broadcaster has launched a new Russian-language channel on digital platforms as differences between the countries widen over Libya and Syria, Bloomberg reported.
TRT Russian will focus on giving alternative perspectives on daily issues and news that is missed in the mainstream media, the channel said on its website.
Turkey and Russia are backing opposing sides in the civil wars in Syria and Libya. Ankara has been providing military and diplomatic support to Libya’s United Nations-recognized administration, while Russian mercenaries have been deployed to back militia commander Khalifa Haftar.
In March, Turkey detained three Turkish nationals who work for Russia’s Sputnik news agency over a story that referred to the Turkish province of Hatay as having been “stolen” from Syria. The detentions coincided with clashes between Turkish troops and Russian-backed Syrian forces in northwestern Syria.