Turkey rejects Russia's accusations, not answerable for Ukraine's drone use

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has stated that Turkey cannot be blamed for Ukrainian military's use of Turkish-supplied armed drones against Russian-backed separatists in the conflict-ridden eastern Donbass region.

"The drones may have been manufactured in Turkey but after their agreement of sale, they belong to Ukraine. They can not be referred as Turkish weapons," Cavusoglu told reporters on Saturday after a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rome.

Kremlin said on Wednesday Turkish drones risked destabilising the situation in eastern Ukraine a day after Ukraine has shared footage on social media of its first-ever combat deployment of a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drone to destroy a howitzer used by pro-Russian separatists in the Donbass region.

READ MORE: Ukraine uses Turkish drone to blast pro-Russia rebels' howitzer

He said Turkey also have been buying weapons from different countries to use in its fight against terrorism, including Russia and never blame Russia for the use of the weapon. 

"Ukraine should stop mentioning (Turkey's) name," Cavusoglu said. 

The Bayraktar TB2 has been sold to countries including Ukraine, Qatar, Azerbaijan, and Poland.

In May, Poland became the first EU and NATO member state to acquire drones from Turkey.

READ MORE: Turkey supports Ukraine's territorial integrity over Donbass, Crimea

 Donbass crisis

Demonstrations erupted in the capital, Kyiv, on November 21, 2013, after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych did not sign the European Union Association Agreement.

After Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014, demonstrations grew and pro-Russian separatists declared their so-called independence in the cities of Donetsk and Lugansk in the eastern part of the country.

More than 13,000 people have lost their lives in clashes between separatists and the Kyiv government since 2014.

READ MORE: Why Ukraine’s potential entry into NATO makes Russia vulnerable