Russian Warplane Downed by Turkish Military, Putin Calls Attack 'Stab in the Back' [Watch]
Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet that allegedly entered its airspace on Tuesday, triggering an angry response from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack on the warplane a "stab in the back" from Turkey and said the incident would have serious consequences for the relationship between the two countries.
Turkey shot down unidentified aircraft near Syrian border https://t.co/hqVcnkgpxo @dogannewsagency pic.twitter.com/3KcxDR5uXZ
— Dogan News Agency (@dogannewsagency) November 24, 2015
According to Reuters, the Turkish military said they issued 10 warnings to the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft, before shooting it down with two F-16 fighter jets.
Russia's military denied that the plane ever crossed over from Syrian airspace.
"A probe is in progress into the circumstances of the Russian plane's crash. The Defense Ministry says the plane invariably stayed within Syrian airspace. Objective monitoring data confirm this," Russia's defense ministry said.
In a televised meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Putin condemned the actions of Turkey and called them the accomplices of terrorists.
Serdar Kilic, Turkish ambassador to the U.S., tweeted, "Understand this: Turkey is a country whose warnings should be taken seriously and listened to. Don't test Turkey's patience. Try to win its friendship."
CNN Turkey also released an image via Twitter showing the Su-24's flight plan, showing the aircraft briefly entered Turkish airspace.
#BREAKING Flight radar track on downed warplane issued by Turkish military pic.twitter.com/xREQbclVwK
— CNN Türk ENG (@CNNTURK_ENG) November 24, 2015
NATO called for an emergency meeting in Brussels on Tuesday regarding the incident. The North Atlantic Council, consisting of the top ambassadors from 28 of the countries in the alliance, will meet to discuss the incident.
According to the Russian Interfax news agency, the pilots ejected from the plane prior to the crash.
An online video shows what appears to be a group of armed rebels surround one of the pilots, with someone saying, "The 10th Division has captured a Russian pilot, God is greatest."
The Associated Press reports Jahed Ahmad, spokesperson for the 10th Brigade in the Coast rebel group, said that pilot was shot and killed. He added the body was in the group's custody, and they would consider exchanging it for prisoners held by the Syrian government.
A U.S. defense official said Turkey, who is a member of NATO, informed Washington of the incident.
The U.S. and Russia have been at odds concerning their involvement in Syria. Russia has conducted airstrikes against ISIS militants in the area, but it is also battling the Syrian rebel forces, including those backed by the U.S., in an effort to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power.
Turkey strongly opposes al-Assad's regime, which may explain the country's tension with Russian forces. Turkish military has also previously accused Syrian jets of entering their airspace.
Watch alleged video of the downing of the Russian jet below:
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