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Turkey not apologize to Russia over downed jet: Turkish president

Xinhua, November 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Turkey will not apologize to Russia over downing of a warplane on the Syrian border, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

"Those who violated our airspace should apologize to us," he said in an interview.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Turkey has not apologized for the downing of a Russian warplane or not offered to make up for the damages.

Ties between Ankara and Moscow soured after Turkish F-16 jets on Tuesday shot down a Russian Su-24 on a bombing mission near the Syrian border.

Turkey claimed that the Russian aircraft violated its national airspace, therefore the army implemented rules of engagement.

Turkey's downing of a Russian Su-24 warplane has dealt a "devastating" blow to bilateral ties, Kremlin said Thursday.

"It will be very difficult to mend bilateral relations after such quite devastating damage. It is too serious an incident that serious consequences are unavoidable... and we are still waiting for realistic explanations from the Turkish side," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Endit