Turkish warplanes have
shot down a Russian military aircraft on the border with Syria. Russian
President Vladimir Putin said air-to-air missiles fired by Turkish F-16s while
it was flying over Syrian territory hit the Su-24. But 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 opponents of President Bashar
al-Assad in late September.
Vladimir Putin accuses
Turkey of "stabbing Russia in the back", as Turkish official says
Ankara believes two pilots are alive despite reports.
Erdogan says Turkey does
not want escalation with Russia over downed plane, adding: "we are only
defending out own security and the rights of our brothers".
He also said that parts
of the downed plane landed inside Turkey, injuring two Turkish citizens.
Russia would be prepared
to "create a joint staff" to fight the Islamic State (Isil) in which
Moscow would work with France, the United States and even Turkey, the Russian
ambassador to France said Wednesday.
"We are prepared
to... plan strikes on Daesh (IS) positions together and create a joint staff
with France, the US, with all the countries who want to be in this coalition,"
said Alexander Orlov," adding: "If the Turks want to be in at as
well, they are welcome" despite tensions after Turkey downed a Russian
military jet.
One of the two Russian
pilots who ejected from a jet shot down by Turkey on Tuesday has been picked up
by the Syrian army and is being taken to Russia's base there, Russia's
ambassador to France said on Wednesday.
"One on board was
wounded when he parachuted down and killed in a savage way on the ground by the
jihadists in the area and the other managed to escape and, according to the
latest information, has been picked up by the Syrian army and should be going
back to the Russian airforce base," ambassador Alexandre Orlov told Europe
1 radio. The other pilot was killed.
This is exactly the kind
of incident that many have feared since Russia launched its air operations in
Syria. The dangers of operating near to the Turkish border have been all too
apparent. Turkish planes have already shot down at least one Syrian air force
jet and possibly a helicopter as well.
Russia insists that its
warplane did not violate Turkish air space.
The United States
believes that the Russian jet shot down by Turkey on Tuesday was hit inside
Syrian airspace after a brief incursion into Turkish airspace, a US official
told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said that
assessment was based on detection of the heat signature of the jet.
Turkey's military said
the fighter was shot down by two of its F-16s after it violated Turkish
airspace. A number of accounts suggest the SU-24 was in Turkish territory for
17 seconds before it had been attacked, hitting while it tried to return back
into Syria territory.
In this current affair,
Pluralist theory is applied. Turkey is a member of NATO, which considers an
attack on one of its members to e an attack on them all. Pluralist believes on the corporation among
states and the value of non-state actor. Interdependence gives Turkey an
alliance to talk with Russia. Meaning that if Russia does something wrong, they
have to admit the fact and solve the problem.
