A military plane has reportedly crashed in flames in Syria.
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Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday one of its Su-24 fighter jets was downed in Syria, but it rejected Turkish allegations the aircraft had entered Turkish airspace.
According to Interfax the ministry also said the pilots managed to parachute out, but their fate is unclear.
“The Su-24 bomber jet was in Syrian airspace at the altitude 6,000 meters, the Russian Defense Ministry said”, according to Sputnik. Turkish media reported the plane had crashed on the Syrian side of the border.
The Turkish government is strongly opposed to the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.
Russian Federation issued a formal apology to Turkey in early October when a jet violated Turkish airspace and Turkish F-16s were scrambled to intercept the plane.
Prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu has ordered the foreign ministry to consult with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the United Nations and related countries on the latest developments on the Syrian border, his office said.
A military official in Turkey said the plane was shot down by Turkish F16s, and that the pilot was given prior warning.
Video broadcast by Turkish media showed a fighter plane ablaze and crashing into the ground close to the Syria-Turkey border. Russian jets have bombed the area in support of ground operations by Syrian government forces.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to visit Turkey on Wednesday in a bid to smooth ties and find a joint approach to finding peace in Syria.
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In September, Russian Federation began targeting insurgents in war-torn Syria with airstrikes. “There is no change in the programme”, said the official.
