Putin Sends Air Defense Missiles to Syria to Deter Turkey

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered state-of-the art air defense missile systems to be deployed at a Russian air base in Syria following the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey
Putin Sends Air Defense Missiles to Syria to Deter Turkey
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets the press in Nizhny Tagil in the Ural mountains, Russia, on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
11/25/2015
Updated:
11/25/2015

In this photo made from the footage taken from Russian Defense Ministry official web site Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. showing a Russian Su-24M during a Russian air raid in Syria. Russia has been carrying out airstrikes on Islamic State group fighters in Syria since the end of September at the request of President Bashar Assad, Russia's long-term ally. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo made from the footage taken from Russian Defense Ministry official web site Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. showing a Russian Su-24M during a Russian air raid in Syria. Russia has been carrying out airstrikes on Islamic State group fighters in Syria since the end of September at the request of President Bashar Assad, Russia's long-term ally. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
A Russian Air Force Tu-22M3 bomber drops bombs on a target in Syria in November 2015 as part of a Russian air campaign against targets in Syria. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
A Russian Air Force Tu-22M3 bomber drops bombs on a target in Syria in November 2015 as part of a Russian air campaign against targets in Syria. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Lavrov also said that Turkish territory was used by “terrorists” to prepare terror attacks in other countries, but offered no details.

He said that Russia “has no intention to go to war with Turkey,” but added that Moscow will re-consider its ties with Ankara.

The Russian Foreign Ministry already has warned Russians against traveling to Turkey, and some leading Russian tourist agencies suspended the sales of tour packages to Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that his country does not wish to escalate tensions with Russia over the downing of the plane.

Speaking at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation economy meeting in Istanbul, Erdogan said that Turkey favors “peace, dialogue and diplomacy.” He defended his country’s move to shoot down the plane saying: “no one should expect Turkey to stay silent to border violations or the violation of its rights.”

FILE - In this undated photo from files a S-300 air defense missile is launched in Ashuluk shooting range in southern Russia. The head of a Russian state-controlled industrial conglomerate says the contract for the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran has been finalized. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this undated photo from files a S-300 air defense missile is launched in Ashuluk shooting range in southern Russia. The head of a Russian state-controlled industrial conglomerate says the contract for the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran has been finalized. (AP Photo, File)

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also sought to ease tensions, saying that Russia is Turkey’s “friend and neighbor” and insisting relations cannot be “sacrificed to accidents of communication.”

Davutoglu told his party’s lawmakers on Wednesday that Turkey didn’t know the nationality of the plane that was brought down on Tuesday until Moscow announced it was Russian.

He again defended Turkey’s action, saying Russia was warned on several occasions that Turkey would take action in case its border is violated in line with its military rules of engagement.

Davutoglu also said Russia is an “important partner and tops the list of countries with which we have shown great sensitivity in building ties.”

The Turkish prime minister, however, also criticized Russian and Syrian operations in Syria’s Turkmen region, saying there is “not one single” presence of the Islamic State group there. Davutoglu demanded that operations there stop immediately.