Turkey's state broadcaster TRT launches Russian-language service to fight 'disinformation'

Turkey's state broadcaster TRT launches Russian-language service to fight 'disinformation'
Turkey's TRT is expanding its operations with a new Russian-language service.
1 min read
26 May, 2020
Russia and Turkey have had fraught relations in the past few years [Getty]


Turkey's state broadcaster is launching a Russian-language channel to provide news and analysis that will further expand TRT reach in Europe and Asia.

The new digital service will "play a key role in battling disinformation and manipulation", TRT said in a statement on Sunday.

The service will likely appeal to ethnic Turkic peoples in Russia and Central Asia, including countries such as Kazakhstan with large Russian-speaking minority populations, according to Radio Free Europe.

Russia and Turkey have built strong relations in recent years, with a range of economic partnerships including gas pipelines.

Turkey also strongly benefits from large numbers of Russian tourists and investment.

The countries have been on opposing sides in Syria's war and came close to blows after Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet that strayed into its territory.

Since then, the two countries have worked on better understanding in Syria, including holding joint patrols in Idlib province.

Yet there are also growing tensions between the two countries in Libya, where Turkey and Russia support rival administrations.

TRT has Turkish, English, Arabic and German language services.

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