How Turkey is courting Russia’s oligarchs

WEEKS AFTERNATO Russia invaded Ukraine, a couple of superyachts belonging to Roman Abramovich, a Russian oligarch sanctioned by Britain, docked in Turkish ports. Boats linked to two other oligarchs, Andrey Molchanov and Maxim Shubarev, and to Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president, have also been sighted. On March 29th Mr Abramovich himself surfaced in Turkey, joining Russian and Ukrainian negotiators at peace talks in Istanbul.Turkey is playing more than one role in the war. A member, it backs Ukraine and continues to sell it armed drones, which have turned scores of Russian tanks into scrap. Yet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s criticism of Russian atrocities has been mild. And, more worrying, there are signs that Turkey may be circumventing sanctions against Russia.