Turkey: We’re not sorry for shooting down Russian jet

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made clear in a Thursday interview with CNN his country is not going to apologize for shooting down Russia’s jet – and that if anyone needs to issue a mea culpa, it’s President Vladimir Putin.

“I think if there is a party that needs to apologize, it is not us,” he said, during an interview from his capital offices, CNN said. “Those who violated our airspace are the ones who need to apologize. Our pilots and our armed forces, they simply fulfilled their duties, which consisted of responding to … violations of the rules of engagement. I think this is the essence.”

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The statement is not likely to go over well in Moscow.

As WND previously reported, Putin vowed after Turkish military shot down Russia’s SU–24 jet, the act would not go unpunished. The incident, which took place after Turkey said Russia violated its airspace near Syria – something Putin vehemently denies – left one pilot dead and another captured by rebel ground forces. The captured pilot was ultimately freed by a military commando–type operation, and taken to Russia’s base in the northern part of Syria for safety and medical treatment.

Putin, meanwhile, ordered anti–aircraft missiles to move into position at Russia’s airbase in Latakia, Syria. The missiles have a range of 155 miles. Turkey is located about 30 miles from the base.

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Tensions remain tight among world leaders, who are watching the escalation with alarm. And in a sign of how tenuous relations have turned between Turkey and Russia, both nations traded accusations in recent hours that each was guilty of aiding and abetting terrorists.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Erdogan said of such rhetoric: “If Mr. Putin is saying that we are cooperating with Daesh [ISIS], that we are accomplices, I think that would be a huge mistake because we are doing the exact opposite. … Some people claimed that we were buying oil from Daesh, and the fact that people in positions of authority in Russia said this is very, very unacceptable.”

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Erdogan suggested Russia was not being truthful about its recent bombing missions over Syria, operations Putin has painted as being anti–ISIS.

“Russia is not engaged in a fight against Daesh in Syria,” Erdogan said. “On the contrary, they are actually targeting moderate opposition.”

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Putin, meanwhile, expressed dismay at Turkey’s failure to offer an apology for the downing of Russia’s plane, or provide some sort of financial compensation.

He said, at an event in Moscow: Turkey’s trying to bring diplomatic relations with Russia to a “dead end,” CNN reported.

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