Ankara and Moscow are already on rival sides in the Syrian civil war that has lasted over four years, with Turkey wanting to see the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Russian Federation remains one of his last remaining allies. The message to Russian Federation was clear.
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Moscow however insists that the plane never strayed from Syrian air space.
A US military spokesman said it was an issue between the Turkish and Russian governments and that U.S.-led coalition operations in Syria and Iraq were continuing “as planned”.
A media activist on the ground confirmed the heavy strikes, which he said centered around the Jabal Nuba area where rebels on Tuesday destroyed a Russian helicopter that was forced to make an emergency landing by opposition fire.
He said oil from jihadist-controlled territory was exported through Turkey while funding was sent the other way, and warned: “The tragic event will have serious consequences for Russian-Turkish relations”. Turkey claims that the bomber had violated its airspace.
According to President Putin the man is now on a Russian base in Syria.
It is thought to be the first time a warplane from a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member has shot down a Russian aircraft in half a century.
Mr Putin said the plane was in Syria’s skies when it was shot down and described Turkey’s actions as a “stab in the back”.
The fate of the two Russian pilots, who ejected from the plane as it descended to the ground, remains uncertain and could have an impact on the strength of Russia’s reaction.
However, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he spoke by phone with Lavrov and the two had agreed to meet in the near future.
Meanwhile, Russian Federation and Turkey continue to exchange angry rhetoric while at the same time calling for military restraint.
Turkey’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally United States of America landed its support and called the act justified. “As far as we know, ISIS and other jihadi groups in Syria have no aircraft that could threaten the Russian base”, he reports.
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Erdogan however defended his country’s move to shoot down the plane saying: “no one should expect Turkey to stay silent to border violations or the violation of its rights”.
