Relations between Russia and Turkey have deteriorated since a Turkish F-16 jet fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber on November 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the incident a “stab in the back” by those supporting terrorists.
According to Ankara, the aircraft entered its airspace. The Russian General Staff said the bomber did not cross the Turkish border, which was confirmed by the Syrian air defense. Following the incident, Putin signed the decree on measures to maintain the national security and special economic measures against Turkey.
“Indeed, for us this act was almost a betrayal, I would say. We didn’t expect such actions from those saying they are part of the coalition against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria,” Shoigu said Wednesday during a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Seiran Oganyan.
Shoigu thanked the Armenian minister for his support and condolences for the Russian servicemen killed in Syria. He underscored that Armenia was among the first countries that reacted to the tragedy.