Photo: Sputnik/ Dmitry Astakhov
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday that Moscow has already taken and will take diplomatic and military measures after the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber by Turkey, Sputnik News reports.
The Russian prime minister said that the downing of the Russian warplane over Syria was an “act of aggression” committed by Turkey.
“This was certainly an act of aggression against our country by Turkey, our neighbor and a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.”
“Military and diplomatic measures with regard to this crime have already been taken and more will be taken,” Medvedev said during a governmental meeting on Thursday.
On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 jet crashed in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the plane was downed over Syrian territory by an air-to-air missile launched by a Turkish F-16 jet, and fell 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Turkish border. Putin described the Turkish attack as a “stab in the back” carried out by “accomplices of terrorists.”
Dmitry Medvedev has instructed the Russian government on Thursday to work out measures against Turkey after Tuesday’s downing of a Russian military jet.
Moscow may freeze economic cooperation, limit trade spheres as possible measures against Ankara, Medvedev said.
“[The measures include] the suspension of the implementation of programs of economic cooperation, restrictions on financial transactions and on foreign trade transactions, changes in customs duties of import and export, measures in the tourism sector, with regard to transportation, including transit.“
Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow’s response actions would not contradict WTO norms.
According to Medvedev, measures taken by Russia will be temporary and depend on the development of Moscow-Ankara relations and international situation.
The prime minister said that Russian authorities were considering the introduction of bans on Turkish companies’ activities in the country.
