Russia said Wednesday that it will deploy long-range air defense missiles to its base in Syria and destroy any target that may threaten its warplanes after the downing of a Russian military jet by Turkey.
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Cavusoglu informed Lavrov that Turkish F-16 jets shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane on Tuesday, claiming airspace violation by the plane.
Shoigu also said that Russian Federation is sending its most hi-tech air defence system to its air base in Syria to help bolster its firepower over the war-torn country after the downing of its jet.
However columnist Mehmet Yilmaz in the mainstream Hurriyet daily accused Erdogan of plunging Turkey into a “quagmire”, warning of “grave political and economic consequences for Turkey”.
Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said any measure that increases tensions and complicates the situation will be a wrong signal to the terrorists. “We are only defending our own security and the rights of our brothers”, Erdoğan said, adding Turkey’s policy in Syria would not change.
The surviving pilot was quoted by Russian agencies as saying the crew “knew the region like the back of their hand”, that they did not fly over Turkish air space, and that there were no visual or radio warnings from Turkey.
When asked if future talks were being prepared, Lavrov said there were no plans to send any officials to Turkey and that Moscow did not plan to host any Turkish visits.
Some chanted “We will not forget, we will not forgive” and also yelled slurs directed at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ankara and Moscow are already on starkly opposing sides in the over four-year Syrian civil war, with Turkey wanting to see the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad but Russian Federation one of his last remaining allies.
He again defended Turkey’s action, saying Russian Federation was warned on several occasions that Turkey would take action in case its border is violated in line with its military rules of engagement.
Russia’s Moskva guided missile cruiser will now be stationed near the Syrian Mediterranean port of Latakia, the defence ministry said.
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Mr Murakhtin was rescued early on Wednesday by Russian and Syrian commando and was speaking in televised comments from the Russian Hemeimeem air base in Syria.
