Downing of Russia jet 'stab in the back' - Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has bitterly
condemned the downing of a Russian jet on the Turkey-
Syria border.
He described it as a "stab in the back" committed by
"accomplices of terrorists".
Turkey says its jets shot at the plane after warning that it was
violating Turkish airspace. But Moscow says it never strayed
from Syrian airspace.
Nato is to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the
incident at Turkey's request.
Mr Putin warned there would be "serious consequences" for
Moscow's relations with Turkey.
Follow the latest updates here
He said the Su-24 was hit by air-to-air missiles fired by
Turkish F-16s while it was flying over Syrian territory.
President Putin said the plane had been attacked "at a
height of 6,000 metres (20,000ft), 1km from the border".
It crashed into Syrian territory 4km from the border, he
added.
The two crew members ejected as their burning aircraft
plunged into a Syrian hillside. Video footage has shown what
appears to be the dead body of one of the flyers,
surrounded by armed rebels.
"In any case, our pilots, planes did not threaten Turkish
territory in any way. It is quite clear," Mr Putin said.
"They were carrying out an operation against Isis [Islamic
State] in the mountains of northern Latakia, where militants
are focused - who mostly originate from the territory of
Russia.
"So they were carrying the key task of preventative attacks
against those who could return to Russia at any time. These
are people who must be directly qualified as international
terrorists."
Turkish military officials said the plane was engaged after
being warned that it was violating Turkish airspace.
It is the first time a Russian aircraft has crashed in Syria
since Moscow launched air strikes against militants fighting
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late September.
The Nato military alliance, to which Turkey belongs, said it
was following the situation "closely" and was in contact with
the Turkish authorities. There will be an "informational
meeting" of ambassadors in Brussels at 16:00 GMT.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the
jet had crashed in the mountainous Jabal Turkmen area of
Latakia, where air strikes and fighting between rebels and
Syrian government forces had been reported earlier on
Tuesday.
Russian military helicopters searched for the pilot and
navigator near the crash site in the predominantly Turkmen
Bayir Bucak area, Turkey's Dogan news agency reported.
A spokesman for a rebel group operating in the area, the
10th Brigade of the Coast, told the Associated Press that the
jet's crew had tried to parachute into government-held
territory, but that they came under fire from members of
the group.
One of them was dead when he landed on the ground, he
added. The fate of the second was not immediately known.
Turkey, a vehement opponent of Syria's president, has
warned against violations of its airspace by Russian and
Syrian aircraft.
condemned the downing of a Russian jet on the Turkey-
Syria border.
He described it as a "stab in the back" committed by
"accomplices of terrorists".
Turkey says its jets shot at the plane after warning that it was
violating Turkish airspace. But Moscow says it never strayed
from Syrian airspace.
Nato is to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the
incident at Turkey's request.
Mr Putin warned there would be "serious consequences" for
Moscow's relations with Turkey.
Follow the latest updates here
He said the Su-24 was hit by air-to-air missiles fired by
Turkish F-16s while it was flying over Syrian territory.
President Putin said the plane had been attacked "at a
height of 6,000 metres (20,000ft), 1km from the border".
It crashed into Syrian territory 4km from the border, he
added.
The two crew members ejected as their burning aircraft
plunged into a Syrian hillside. Video footage has shown what
appears to be the dead body of one of the flyers,
surrounded by armed rebels.
"In any case, our pilots, planes did not threaten Turkish
territory in any way. It is quite clear," Mr Putin said.
"They were carrying out an operation against Isis [Islamic
State] in the mountains of northern Latakia, where militants
are focused - who mostly originate from the territory of
Russia.
"So they were carrying the key task of preventative attacks
against those who could return to Russia at any time. These
are people who must be directly qualified as international
terrorists."
Turkish military officials said the plane was engaged after
being warned that it was violating Turkish airspace.
It is the first time a Russian aircraft has crashed in Syria
since Moscow launched air strikes against militants fighting
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late September.
The Nato military alliance, to which Turkey belongs, said it
was following the situation "closely" and was in contact with
the Turkish authorities. There will be an "informational
meeting" of ambassadors in Brussels at 16:00 GMT.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the
jet had crashed in the mountainous Jabal Turkmen area of
Latakia, where air strikes and fighting between rebels and
Syrian government forces had been reported earlier on
Tuesday.
Russian military helicopters searched for the pilot and
navigator near the crash site in the predominantly Turkmen
Bayir Bucak area, Turkey's Dogan news agency reported.
A spokesman for a rebel group operating in the area, the
10th Brigade of the Coast, told the Associated Press that the
jet's crew had tried to parachute into government-held
territory, but that they came under fire from members of
the group.
One of them was dead when he landed on the ground, he
added. The fate of the second was not immediately known.
Turkey, a vehement opponent of Syria's president, has
warned against violations of its airspace by Russian and
Syrian aircraft.
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