Turkey downs Russian fighter jet (2015)

Summary

Turkey shot down a Russian jet, claiming it violated their airspace despite ten warnings. The U.S., monitoring the incident, supports Turkey's right to defend its territory. The Russian plane, originating from Syria, was targeted by Turkish-backed rebels post-crash. Russia's Putin called it a 'stab in the back,' asserting no threat was posed, while the U.S. suggests Russia was targeting Turkish-supported rebels. The incident raises questions about Putin's response and international relations.

Takeaways

• 🚩 Turkey claims to have warned a Russian jet ten times before shooting it down for violating their airspace.
• 🌍 President Obama supports Turkey's actions, stating that every country has the right to defend its territory and airspace.
• ⏱️ The U.S. estimates the Russian jet may have been in Turkish airspace for less than 30 seconds.
• 📍 The exact location of the border where the incident occurred is unclear and still under investigation.
• ✈️ The Russian plane took off from a Syrian airfield and was heading north when it was shot down.
• 🔎 The U.S. was monitoring the situation with radars and radios, hearing everything on open channels.
• 🔥 After the plane was shot down, social media videos showed Turkish-supported rebels firing at the two Russian pilots.
• 🚁 A Russian helicopter searching for the second pilot was also reportedly attacked and crashed, with a Russian marine killed during the rescue mission.
• 🤔 Russian President Vladimir Putin called the shootdown a 'stab in the back' and claimed their planes were targeting ISIS.
• 🔍 The U.S. asserts that Russia only started flying in the area a few days prior and were targeting rebels supported by Turkey, not ISIS.
• 🛡️ Turkey defends its actions, emphasizing its right to respond to airspace violations despite repeated warnings.

Q & A

What was the incident involving the Russian jet and Turkish airspace?

Turkey claims it warned a Russian jet ten times for violating its airspace before ordering its F-16s to shoot down the Russian aircraft.

What was President Obama's stance on the incident?

President Obama put his full support behind Turkey, stating that every country, including Turkey, has the right to defend its territory and airspace.

How long were the Russians allegedly inside Turkish airspace according to the U.S.?

The U.S. calculates that the Russians may have been inside Turkish airspace for less than 30 seconds.

What is unclear about the incident?

It is unclear exactly where the border may be, and there is ongoing data collection and analysis to determine the exact details.

Where did the Russian plane take off from and what was its direction?

The Russian plane took off from a Syrian airfield and was heading north.

How was the U.S. monitoring the situation?

The U.S. was monitoring the situation using radars and radios, and was able to hear everything that was happening on open channels.

What happened to the Russian pilots after their plane was shot down?

Turkish-supported rebels on the ground shot at the two Russian pilots, and a Russian helicopter searching for the second pilot was also apparently under attack and crashed.

Was there any loss of life on the Russian side?

Yes, a Russian marine was killed during a failed rescue mission for one of the pilots.

What was the reaction of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the incident?

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the shootdown a stab in the back, asserting that neither the pilots nor the jet posed any threat to Turkey.

What was Putin's claim about the target of his planes?

Putin claimed that his planes were targeting ISIS.

What does the U.S. say about the targets of the Russian planes?

The U.S. states that the Russians only started flying in this area in the last few days and were targeting rebels that Turkey supports.

How did Turkey defend its actions?

Turkey defended its actions by stating that it has the right to respond if its airspace is violated despite repeated warnings.

What is the speculation about Putin's possible reaction and goals?

It is speculated that if Putin maintains his cool, countries like France, Great Britain, and hopefully the United States, will allow him at the big table for negotiations.