Too true. Russia and Turkey have a long and "patchy" history....

Too true. Russia and Turkey have a long and "patchy" history. They are neighbours after all. But Turkey's membership of NATO is why the naval facilities in Tartus Syria are so important to the Ruskies being the closest they can get to the Dardenelles and Bosphorous, Turkey stil being a NATO member. Unfettered access via those waterways are understandably vital to Russia's strategic and economic interests. A simple glance at a map explaisn why.