Four Russians, one Ukrainian and one Uzbek citizen were allegedly detained in Turkey on suspicion of preparing armed attacks against Chechen dissidents, Reuters reported, citing Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber on Thursday.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgich told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that he has no information regarding the arrest of four Russian citizens allegedly accused of espionage.
"I do not know anything about this. If I find out, I will answer you," Bilgich told RIA Novosti.
According to local reports quoted by Reuters, the Istanbul Prosecutor General's Office detained six suspects on Oct. 8 while they were allegedly preparing a joint operation against Chechen dissidents in Turkey. They had already acquired weapons, the local broadcaster said.
Currently, the suspects are being held in detention and may face up to 15-20 years in prison on charges of "political and military espionage," TRT Haber said, citing state-owned Anadolu news agency.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday that the Kremlin has no information about the detention of Russians in Turkey.
