Vladimir Putin's proposal to build a plant for the production of Bayraktar drones in Russia and cooperate with Baykar Makina is currently being considered by no one. This was stated by the head of the defense industry department of the Turkish presidential administration, Ismail Demir, to Hurriyet Ankara.
He was asked to comment on the Russian proposal:
“I can't say it's possible. There is nothing like this on our agenda.”
Demir then added that the process is "formed within the framework of the policy of the Republic of Turkey."
On July 26, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Vladimir Putin, during a personal meeting, expressed a desire to work together with the Turkish manufacturer of combat drones Bayraktar and even offered to build a plant in Russia: "Putin told me that he wants to work with Baykar." The UAE also announced its desire to build a plant for the production of Turkish UAVs on its territory, Erdogan added.
The Turkish company Baykar Makina, which manufactures Bayraktar drones, was founded by Özdemir Bayraktar. Now the director and co-owner of the company is one of his sons, Selçuk Bayraktar, who became the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The most famous of the company's drones is the Bayraktar TB2, which is in service with Ukraine. It can stay in the air for up to 24 hours, rise to a height of up to 8.2 km and attack targets from a range of 8 km. In 2018, Ukraine signed an agreement with Turkey for the supply of drones, and during the Russian invasion, it became one of the symbols of the Ukrainian army. Baykar Makina promised to donate several Bayraktar TB2s to Ukraine for free, for which money was raised in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine.