Putin has called “nonsense and excuses” statements by Turkish Su-24 – RBC

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS

The possibility that the plane was not identified, “excluded”, said Putin. “It is impossible. They [aircraft] have markings, and can be clearly seen. This is our planes and not any other “- the Russian president said at a news briefing after talks with his French President Francois Hollande. He added that the Russian advance in accordance with the agreements with the United States gave information on where, when and at what levels will operate aircraft.

Putin wondered “why we have this information passed on to the Americans.” “Either they do not control what their allies, or are they the information handed out right and left, not knowing what will be the consequences?” – The Russian president said (quoted by “Interfax”), promising to “hold quite serious consultations” on the matter “with our partners».

«We believe that this is the current coalition, Turkey – a member of the coalition [anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States] and the need to know that there are works that Russian aviation. What else? If they learned that an American plane to hit the American, or what? Nonsense is all. It excuses, “- said Putin. “It is unfortunate that instead of to deal with it seriously, deeply, working hard to make this never happened more we hear vague explanations and statements that even apologize not at all”, – concluded Putin.

In an interview with CNN, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that Turkey should not apologize to Russia for the downed Su-24. According to him, an apology should bring those who have violated Turkish airspace.

Earlier, the Turkish authorities have repeatedly said they did not know what country belonged knocked on the border with Syria bomber. A few hours before Putin’s speech, Turkish President said in an interview with France-24 that Turkey would act differently if I knew that the plane belongs to Russia. The eve of the Turkish General Staff also stated that the warplanes during the attack on the Su-24 was unknown.

The Turkish President also states that tried to hold a telephone conversation with Putin after the plane crash. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday refuted this claim.

In a briefing with Hollande, Putin said that relations with Turkey, which were built over the past ten years, “rudely and recklessly” destroyed. This is a “very high level [of relations] – we thought Turkey is not just a neighbor and friendly nation, almost an ally,” said the Russian president. He added that Russia considers the impact on the Su-24 «treacherous».

«We did not occur, we can get a hit on the country, which we consider as an ally” – quoted Putin TASS. According to him, if Russia could avoid such a situation, the military would have long deployed in Syria’s air defense systems such as the C-400 aircraft and would protect other ways. In particular, it comes accompanied by fighters and thermal protection, he said. However, Moscow believes that the Russian aircraft works at heights, “to which may not reach the criminal hand of terrorists,” the president added, recalling that the militants do not have technology that can shoot down planes at an altitude of 3-4 thousand. meters.

Now, however, Russia will deploy in Syria C-400 system, Putin said. «But we are not limited to, – he added. – If necessary, we will accompany the activities of our aircraft and fighters, by other means, including electronic warfare ».

At the press conference after the meeting, Putin also touched on the subject of oil supplies to Turkey from the occupied territories in Syria. “If the Turkish authorities to destroy and recycle the oil, we do not see the smoke from the fires of destruction of oil – the Russian president said (quoted by” Interfax “). – It is a commercial-scale supplies of oil from the occupied Syrian territories seized by terrorists. It is from these areas, and not with any other. And we can see from the air, where are these machines. They are day and night go to Turkey ».

Turkish fighters shot down a Russian bomber November 24th. In Turkey, the claim that the plane received several warnings of trespassing, but did not react to them. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the bomber was in Syria, where the anti-terrorist operation carried out.