Russian media gave short shrift to recent international coverage of the U.S. government's blacklisting of four business people and six companies suspected of providing financial support to the Assad regime and facilitating the purchase of oil from Daesh in Syria.
U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions are targeting the finances of all those enabling Assad to continue inflicting violence on the Syrian people, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Financial Times (FT) reported Thursday.
'The Treasury accused a Syrian-born businessman, George Haswani, who is a dual Syrian-Russian citizen, of using his firm, HESCO Engineering and Construction Company, of facilitating oil trades between the Assad regime and the Islamic State [Daesh],' according to WSJ news Thursday titled, ''U.S. Says Syria Is Buying Oil From Islamic State'
The WSJ also stated that 'the U.S. Treasury Department also penalized Russian and Cypriot businessmen and companies suspected of helping the Syrian central bank evade international sanctions through a web of companies based in Russia, Cyprus and Belize.'
Additionally, the WSJ reported that the 'U.S. officials have long voiced concerns that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was strengthening Islamic State’s finances by purchasing oil produced by the militant group on territory that used to be controlled by Damascus. However, Wednesday’s charges are the most explicit and direct accusations by the U.S., and the first time sanctions have been imposed over the regime's oil trade.'
The Financial Times also emphasized the role of Haswani in oil trade between the Syrian regime and Daesh.
According to FT's news; 'U.S. accuses Syria of buying oil from Isis', ' the Treasury said Haswani, who was placed on an EU sanctions list earlier this year, serves as a middleman for oil purchases by the Syrian regime from Isis.” It said that HESCO operated oil production facilities in Syria 'reportedly in areas controlled by Isis.'
After Turkish air forces intercepted a Russian fighter jet due to an airspace violation, Russian media gave wide coverage to claims of Turkey's contribution in the oil trade with Daesh, but ignored the announcement of the U.S. Treasury's imposition of sanctions on the oil dealers and companies.
Russia's international news agency Sputnik stated that the U.S. government had blacklisted the president of the Russian Financial Alliance Bank, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, because of his relations with Syrian president Assad and Syrian government agencies.
Another Russian news agency Interfax ran similar sentiments and reported that the U.S. government has blacklisted Ilyumzhinov because of his support for the Syrian regime and the activities of the Syrian Central Bank.
Sputnik added on Thursday that Ilyumzhinov said he has no commercial activities in Syria and Iran.
According to experts and media commentators, the Russian media wants to mold public opinion in an attempt to bolster Putin's accusations against Turkey and discredit Turkey's position through a derogatory media campaign based on the views of Russian officials.
On Tuesday, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets on aerial patrol intercepted a Russian warplane within engagement rules when it intruded into Turkish airspace on the Turkey-Syria border.
The intruding aircraft was warned about the violation 10 times within five minutes before it was shot down.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that its Russian SU-24 fighter jet had been shot down. It crashed in the Syrian region of Bayirbucak close to the Yayladagi district of Turkey's southern Hatay province.
NATO confirmed the accuracy of information shared by Turkey about the violation.
It was not the first time Russian fighter jets had violated Turkish airspace. In early October, Russian warplanes breached Turkish airspace. Russian officials apologized and pledged that no such incident would be repeated. Turkey had also renewed its warning on engagement rules, including a military response against violations of Turkish airspace.
By Ugur Ertas
Anadolu Agency
ugur.ertas@aa.com.tr