Beirut — in Turkish military aircraft Tuesday brought down a Russian Su-24, which, as stated, Turkey violated its airspace near the border with Syria. This caused a serious escalation of the Syrian conflict, which could lead to a further escalation of tensions between Russia and the West.
Russian officials confirmed that the plane was downed, but stated that he was flying in the skies over Syria and Turkey's airspace is not violated.
The plane was shot down, "presumably as a result of firing from the ground," said the Russian Defense Ministry.
The statement indicates that the aircraft was a member of the aviation groups, engages in combat sorties in Syria within the framework launched two months ago, the Russian air operation. This is the first Russian aircraft downed recently.
The incident highlighted the tensions in an already crowded airspace of Syria, where Russian planes fly, causing blows to the armed opposition, which opposes caught in a difficult situation forces of President Bashar Al-Assad.
This certainly will lead to further tension between Russia and the West, because Turkey is a member of NATO.
Some news agencies reported, citing the Turkish military, Russian aircraft had received multiple warnings, and only then was shot down.
"The plane was at an altitude of 6,000 metres. The fate of the pilots. According to preliminary data, the pilots managed to catapult, "reported the Russian Defense Ministry.
Citing unnamed military sources, the Dogan News Agency News reported that the plane was shot down because of "violations of the border. The Agency noted that the locals have seen as pilots with the targeted plane ejected and descended on parachutes.
Due to the Russian intervention, relations between Russia and Turkey is seriously deteriorated. Turkey, which supports the fight for the overthrow Assad rebels at least twice warned Russia about the incursions into its airspace.
Besides Russia, the bombing of targets on the territory of the war-torn country carry out Syrian warplanes and aircraft from the coalition led by the United States.
Last month Turkish military shot down near the border with Syria, an unmanned aerial vehicle. Military analysts said that it is similar to the Russian model. Officials in Moscow said that Russia has nothing to do with involving two MIAs and one drone and sent a delegation to Turkey to understand the circumstances of the incident.
In early October, Russia brought Turkey an official apology, when its aircraft violated Turkish airspace, and to intercept in the sky F-16 had been raised. The Russians called it a "navigational error".
Since 30 September, when Moscow started intervention in Syria, by intervening in the civil war, it caused more than four thousand strikes, using modern and modified aircraft of the Soviet era. At Hmejmim in the Syrian Latakia in 50 kilometers from the Turkish border is placed at least 32 Russian aircraft and 16 helicopters. This area is a stronghold of Assad on the Mediterranean coast.
The Russian Aviation groups composed of 12 Su-24 bombers and Su-25 attack planes 12 Soviet era, as well as four modern fighter-bomber Su-34, that can participate in a dogfight.
When in the sky over Egypt last month was hit by a Russian chartered plane, and all on board 224 deaths, combat sorties from bases on the Russian territory also began to carry out strategic bombers. Among them are six turboprop TU-95 strategic bombers and five Tu-160 strategic bombers. To reach the targets in Syria, they must overcome the Iraqi and Iranian airspace.
His material for the article provided Daniela Dean (Daniela Deane).
