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27Nov15

Russia has right to military response to Turkey's "criminal act": Duma chairman

The shootdown of a Russian warplane by Turkish fighters was "a criminal act" committed by Ankara, and Russia has the right to a military response, a top Russian official said here Friday.

"It is a crime. It is a criminal offense committed by the Turkish leadership. It is an intentional murder of our soldiers and this act must be punished," Russian State Duma Chairman Sergey Naryshkin said in an interview with Bulgaria's Digi 24 TV.

Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane Tuesday over its alleged airspace violation and ignorance of multiple warnings, which Russia vehemently denied.

"The response from the Russian part will surely follow, as provided in international law, and Russia has the right to a military response," Naryshkin said, adding that Russia has deployed S400 Triumph, the country's most advanced missile defense system, in Hmeimim airbase in Syria

He said Russia will also react economically against Turkey and that Ankara's gesture caused "irreparable damage" to bilateral relations.

Asked about what evidence, besides the testimony of the surviving pilot,Moscow can give to prove the plane had not entered the Turkish airspace, Naryshkin said that there are "objective sources of control" showing that the Russian bomber was flying in the Syrian airspace back to Hmeimim airbase.

"Now there are many sources which allow an objective control to see what route that plane took, and these objective sources of control confirmed that the bomber, after completing its mission of destroying the terror infrastructure, was returning to the base on a route passing Syria's territory," he said.

When the Turkish F-16 jets attacked from behind, the bomber empty of ammunition was in Syrian airspace, and "this is proved by American satellites," Naryshkin said.

Naryshkin came to Bucharest to take over from Romania the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization for the next semester.

[Source: Xinhua, Bucharest, 27Nov15]
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small logoThis document has been published on 30Nov15 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.