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Transcript/ScriptTURKEY UKRAINE DRONES
HEADLINE: Turkish-Made Drones in Ukraine Pose Challenge for Turkey-Russia Ties
TEASER: Turkish firms have defied warnings from Moscow and continued to supply Ukraine with unmanned aerial vehicles.
PUBLISHED AT: 1/31/2022 at 1:30pm
BYLINE: Dorian Jones
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Istanbul
VIDEOGRAPHER: Agencies, Courtesy, Berke Bas DO NOT USE NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS.
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original, Agencies Reuters AFP, Baykar Technologies, General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:57
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: DO NOT USE BERKE BAS NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS.))
((INTRO))
[[With Russian forces poised to attack Ukraine, Turkish-made drones are set to face a big test in battle as well as a challenge to Turkey’s relations with Russia. Despite warnings from Moscow, Turkish firms have continued to supply Kyiv with armed drones, which have proved decisive in recent conflicts. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.]]
((Mandatory Courtesy: Baykar Technologies))
((NARRATOR))
As Russia builds up its forces near the Ukrainian border, Turkey is continuing to supply Ukraine with newly developed armed drones.
((RADIO VERSION: Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the European Council, points to growing strains in Ankara’s relations with Moscow.
((Asli Aydintasbas, European Council on Foreign Relations ((Female in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“Turkey is not happy about Russian expansion; Turkey is not happy that Russia is flexing its muscles in the former Soviet space. And it's been particularly supportive of Ukraine by way of selling weapons but also drones.”
((NARRATOR))
From Libya to Syria, Turkish drones, or unmanned air vehicles – also known as UAV's - have quickly gained a reputation as being cheap and effective.
((NARRATOR))
The drones drew world attention in 2020, after playing a key role in Azerbaijan’s defeat of Armenian-backed forces in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.
((NARRATOR))
But in Ukraine, they would face a far more formidable challenge, from Russian forces.
((RADIO VERSION: That is the view of defense analyst Arda Mevlutoglu.))
((Arda Mevlutoglu, Defense Analyst ((male in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“In conflicts such as Syria, Libya Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkish drones were used against air defenses of low quality, or virtually no air defenses at all. However Russian army possesses large number of sophisticated air defense equipment, electronic warfare equipment.
((Mandatory Courtesy: General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine))
((NARRATOR))
In October, the Ukrainian army’s use of Turkish drones against Russian-backed separatists underscored - some analysts say - the drones’ importance not only militarily but psychologically.
((RADIO VERSION: Petro Burkovskiy is a senior fellow at the Democratic Initiatives Foundation in Kyiv.))
((Petro Burkovskiy, Democratic Initiatives Foundation - male in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“That increased morale not only in the Ukrainian army but also in the general public and showed that, yes, Ukrainians can resist, and can defend themselves from the Russian region in Donbas, and that also made Turkey more visible as an ally.”
((NARRATOR))
Russia was quick to condemn Ukraine’s use of Turkish drones.
((NARRATOR))
The Turkish and Russian presidents have developed strong ties, raising concerns at NATO. Turkey is heavily dependent on Russian gas and cooperation in Syria.
((Mandatory Courtesy: Baykar Technologies))
But if Turkish-made drones end up causing Russian casualties, bilateral ties could face a big challenge.
((RADIO VERSION: Mustafa Aydin is a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul.))
((Mustafa Aydin, Kadir Has University – MALE IN ENGLISH – VOA ORIGINAL))
“Turkish ammunitions and also UAVs would be used by the Ukrainian side, and that would be not very acceptable for the Russians. If Turkey is pushed for a choice, Turkey would choose the western alliance and NATO, but it's very difficult to predict whether Ukraine is that eventuality.”
((NARRATOR))
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to visit Kyiv this week in a bid to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, hoping that averting confrontation will avoid a difficult choice for Turkey.
Dorian Jones, for VOA News, Istanbul
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