Russian President Vladimir Putin wants his plane to be escorted by fighters on his way to Turkiye.

Axar.az reports that "Middle East Eye" published information about this with reference to sources.

It was reported that Putin wanted to fly to Turkiye under the protection of Russian warplanes, fearing that Ukraine might attack his plane along the flight route. It is for this reason that the visit of the Russian president to Ankara is delayed.

As the publication notes, it is difficult to fulfill Moscow's request because NATO's air defense systems are located in Turkiye and may perceive Russian fighters as enemy targets.

The source clarified that Turkiye does not plan to disable or replace its air defense systems for Putin's visit. Recent discussions have considered the possibility of the Russian president's visit in the first week of October, but new demands are making a possible visit difficult.