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Russia will scrutinize all joint projects with Turkey — Kremlin

The construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant Akkuyu is Russia's largest investment project in Turkey
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov Sergei Fadeichev/TASS
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov
© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

NIZHNY TAGIL, November 25. /TASS/. Moscow will scrutinize all Russian-Turkish projects including the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday when answering a question from TASS.

"So far I would not like to make judgements about the prospects (of the projects with Turkey), I cannot comment on it now," Peskov said.

But he stressed that "no doubt that in the current situation all the projects will be deeply analyzed".

The construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant Akkuyu is Russia's largest investment project in Turkey. The two countries signed the agreement on its construction in May 2010. The project envisages the construction of four power units of 1200 MW each. According to expert estimates, the future nuclear power plant will generate about 17% of all electricity consumed in Turkey.

JSC Akkuyu nuclears, (95% owned by Russian state corporation Rosatom and its subsidiary Rosenergoatom) acts as a general customer and investor of the project.

This is the world's first nuclear power plant project, which is implemented under the model of BOO ("build-own-operate). The total project cost is estimated at $22 billion. Russia has invested $ 3 billion. The construction began in April 2015, putting the first unit of the nuclear power plants in operation is planned for 2020.

The plant will be served by Turkish specialists. For this purpose students from Turkey were given an opportunity to receive specialized education in Russian universities.

On Tuesday, a Russian Sukhoi-24M bomber was downed with an air-to-air missile launched from an F-16 fighter of the Turkish Air Force. One of the pilots died and the other was rescued and brought to the Russian base. A Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed during the search and evacuation operation. One Marine serving in the army on contract was killed.

Turkey claims that the downed plane had violated its air space. The Russian Defense Ministry says the Sukhoi-24M stayed over Syria all the time and it was the Turkish fighter that violated the border during the attack. 

Vladimir Putin noted that the tragic event would have "serious consequences to Russian-Turkish relations."