Russia tightens Turkish food import controls after Russian SU-24 jet shot down by Turkish F-16 warplanes over Syria
Russia has ramped up checks on food and agriculture imports from Turkey, a move which could deal a blow to the country's economy in the wake of its downing of a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border.
The Russian government told its food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor to increase controls in response to agriculture ministry research showing about 15 per cent of agriculture imports didn't meet regulations.
It comes amid an escalating war of words between Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan and Russian president Vladmir Putin over the incident.
While Russia has since said that its SU-24 fighter jet never strayed into Turkish airspace, Turkey insists that the plane's pilots were warned 10 times in five minutes before it was shot down.
Read more: Turkey's downing of Russian jet may lead to break in joint projects, says Dmitry Medvedev
Erdogan today hit back at suggestions Russia could cancel projects with Turkey, saying: "We are strategic partners … 'Joint projects may be halted, ties could be cut'? Are such approaches fitting for politicians?".
Russia often uses Rosselkhoznadzor as a tool in diplomatic disputes, banning the imports of certain products, citing health reasons.
The checks on all supplies coming into Russia from Turkey means that while imports will continue, they could be significantly delayed.
A Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that the government didn't have any plans to embargo Turkish imports.
Separately, CNN Türk has reported that a number of Turkish businessmen travelling to a business fair in Russia had been detained and will be deported back to Turkey.