Turkey's Downing of Russian Jet Looks Like 'Planned Provocation': Lavrov
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia's foreign minister Wednesday said the downing of the country's fighter jet by Turkey appeared to be a "planned provocation" as the incident heightened tensions between Moscow and Ankara.
"We have serious doubts about this being an unpremeditated act, it really looks like a planned provocation," Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.
But he said that Moscow was not planning on going to war against Turkey after the downing of the jet.
"We do not plan to go to war with Turkey, our attitude toward the Turkish people has not changed," Lavrov told reporters after speaking with his Turkish counterpart, but warned that Moscow would "seriously reevaluate" its ties with Ankara, AFP reported.
The official’s remarks came a day after the Turkish Air Force shot down a Sukhoi Su-24M Fencer, which they had accused of having violated Turkish airspace. Russia denies the allegation.
