Medvedev: Turkey blasts relations with Russia by downing Su-24

YEKATERINBURG, Nov 25 (PRIME) -- Turkey has blasted good neighbor relations with Russia by bringing down the Su-24 bomber above Syria on Tuesday and it may lead to termination of some joint projects, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday.

“The reckless and criminal actions of the Turkish authorities that brought down the plane have led to three consequences. First, relations between NATO and Russia have become dangerously strained, and it cannot be justified by any interests including protection of state borders,” he said.

“Second, Turkey has in fact demonstrated its protection of the Islamic State militants by its actions. This is not surprising, taking into account the data on direct financial interest of several Turkish officials connected with supplies of oil products produced by ISIS-owned enterprises.”

“And third, Russia–Turkey good neighbor relations have been ruined, including relations in the economy and humanitarian spheres. This damage will be extremely hard to reverse, and its direct consequences may lead to a rejection of an array of important joint projects and to Turkish companies’ loss of positions on the Russian market,” Medvedev said.

On Tuesday, Turkey said it shot down the plane after it violated its air space despite repeated warnings, but Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it was shot down above the territory of Syria by an air-to-air missile. The incident will have serious consequences for the Russian–Turkish relations, Putin said.

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