(VOVworld) – Russia's defence ministry on Saturday accused the United States of turning a blind eye to the trafficking of oil into Turkey from Syrian areas under IS control, after Washington called the amounts involved insignificant.

Oil well pumps are seen in the Rmeilane oil field in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province on July 15, 2015 (AFP Photo/Youssef Karwashan)

Russian Defense Ministry said on its Facebook that when US officials said they didn’t see how the terrorists' oil is smuggled to Turkey, it reveals its desire to cover up these acts.

The statement suggested that Washington watch the videos taken by its drones which have recently been three times as numerous over the Turkey-Syria border and above the oil zones.

US special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs, Amos Hochstein, on Friday said the amount of oil smuggled into Turkey from areas of Syria controlled by the IS is "of no significance from a volume perspective -- both volume of oil and volume of revenue".

Russia and Turkey have in recent days exchanged allegations that they are involved in the illegal trade, further ratcheting up tensions after Turkish jets downed a Russian bomber on the Syrian border.