A video posted by a Turkish news outlet reportedly shows a Russian military plane crashing after it was shot down near the Syria-Turkey border. You can watch the video above.
The Turkish military says one of its F-16 fighters shot down the plane after it violated Turkish airspace and ignored several warnings, CNN Turk reports. The Turkish presidency and the Russian defense ministry have confirmed that it was a Russian warplane that was shot down.
#UPDATE Moscow confirms warplane downed on Syria border by Turkey was Russian Su-24
Another video also shows the plane as it crashes to the ground:
Suriye sınırında uçağın düşme anı
Russia, along with France and the United States, has been targeting ISIS in Syria with air strikes over the past several days. Russian officials say the plane was in Syrian airspace and was shot down from the ground, AFP reports.
The pilots parachuted from the plane, CNN Turk reports. Turkish officials said another plane also violated its airspace, the news network reports.
Turkmen rebels on the ground have claimed they killed both pilots:
NATO issued a statement last month after it said Russian planes violated Turkish airspace on October 3 and 4. The planes entered the Hatay region of Turkey, NATO said:
Russian military actions have reached a more dangerous level with the recent violations of Turkish airspace on 3 October and 4 October by Russian Air Force SU-30 and SU-24 aircraft in the Hatay region. The aircraft in question entered Turkish airspace despite Turkish authorities’ clear, timely and repeated warnings. In accordance with NATO practice, Turkish fighter aircraft responded to these incursions by closing to identify the intruder, after which the Russian planes departed Turkish airspace.
Allies strongly protest these violations of Turkish sovereign airspace, and condemn these incursions into and violations of NATO airspace. Allies also note the extreme danger of such irresponsible behaviour. They call on the Russian Federation to cease and desist, and immediately explain these violations.
Allies call on the Russian side to take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not take place in the future.
The security of the Alliance is indivisible, and Allies stand in strong solidarity with Turkey. We will continue to follow the developments on the South-Eastern borders of NATO very closely.
