Russian President Vladamir Putin promises “serious consequences” after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet today.
No official word on the fate of the pilots, but at least one is believed to be dead, reports say.
“This incident stands out against the usual fight against terrorism,” Putin said. “Our troops are fighting heroically against terrorists, risking their lives. But the loss we suffered today came from a stab in the back delivered by accomplices of the terrorists.”
According to The Hill:
“Turkey said it shot down a Russian warplane that violated Turkish airspace in an incident Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling a “stab in the back.”
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that it is looking into the circumstance surrounding the downed fighter jet in Syria, but stressed that the plane never entered Turkey.
Putin, speaking ahead of a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, slammed Turkey over the incident, suggesting the NATO member and U.S. ally had back-stabbed Russia.
“This event is beyond the normal framework of fighting against terrorism. Of course our military is doing heroic work against terrorism,” Putin said, according to The Guardian. “But the loss today is a stab in the back, carried out by the accomplices of terrorists.”
Putin said in an address on television in Russia that the incident would result in “significant consequences including for relations between Russia and Turkey,” multiple news outlets reported.”
