A number of Turkish citizens are volunteering to join the Russian Zaporozhye battalion, according to Russian media. They will serve side by side with Russian soldiers, fighting against Ukrainian nationalists on the battlefield.
Some say they want to contribute to the liberation of Donbass and to reach peace in the occupied territories.
One told TV ZVEZDA news: “I came from Turkey to support our Russian brothers. They are supported by those with whom I came – my friends. We are against the Nazis, we know what is happening here, what is happening in Ukraine and here, we understand and know that Russia is not against Ukraine, but against the Nazis who rule Ukraine, who are trying to take over this state.”
The recruits are now embarking on an intensive course of combat training before they can be sent on real missions in Ukraine.
The move comes as Turkey is blocking Sweden’s accession to NATO, after an application was made on the back of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Wednesday that Turkey will not allow Sweden to join the NATO military alliance as long as the Scandinavian country permits protests desecrating Islam’s holy book to take place.
Turkey, which had already been holding off approving Sweden and Finland’s membership in the Western military alliance, has been infuriated by a series of separate demonstrations in Stockholm.
In one case a solitary anti-Islam activist burned the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy, while in an unconnected protest an effigy of Erdogan was hanged. Even before that, Ankara had been pressing Sweden and Finland to crack down on exiled members of Kurdish and other groups it sees as terrorists, and to allow arms sales to Turkey.
Turkey has indefinitely postponed a key meeting in Brussels that would have discussed the two Nordic countries’ NATO entry.
In a speech to his ruling party’s legislators, Erdogan said: “Sweden, don’t even bother! As long as you allow my holy book, the Quran, to be burned and torn, and you do so together with your security forces, we will not say ‘yes’ to your entry into NATO.”
READ MORE: Russian tank commander accidentally kills five of his own men
Swedish government officials have distanced themselves from the protests, including by a far-right anti-Islam activist who burned copies of the Quran in Stockholm and Copenhagen, Denmark, while also stressing that the demonstrations are protected by freedom of speech.
On Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson denounced the activists who carried out the demonstrations as “useful idiots” for foreign powers who want to inflict harm on the Scandinavian country as it seeks to join NATO.
Kristersson told reporters in Stockholm: “We have seen how foreign actors, even state actors, have used these manifestations to inflame the situation in a way that is directly harmful to Swedish security.”
In a television interview Wednesday, Erdogan suggested that Sweden needs to prevent Quran burning protests.
DON’T MISS:
Russia dealt with trade blow by key ally as Putin plans new attack [INSIGHT]
Furious Putin demands troops seize Donetsk and Luhansk by March [VIDEO]
Triple lock ‘is under threat from a nasty campaign’ [ANALYSIS]
He told state broadcaster TRT: “Hate crimes against Muslims under the guise of freedom of expression are unacceptable. We expect that the beliefs of all groups are respected and sincere steps are taken in the fight against Islamophobia.”
In Finland, which has seen no anti-Turkish or anti-Islam demonstrations, violating religious peace is punishable by law, and desecrating a book held sacred by a religious community would likely violate that law. As a result, police wouldn’t allow a protest that involved burning the Quran.
There is no similar legislation in other Nordic countries, Finnish public broadcaster YLE said.
YLE reported Tuesday that a group of anti-NATO demonstrators had planned to burn the Quran in Helsinki last week but changed their minds after police got wind of their plan on social media and intervened.