Turkish embassy in Moscow attacked by protestors as row over downed aircraft continues
Protestors have gathered outside the Turkish embassy in Moscow, throwing stones and breaking windows, as the diplomatic crisis between the two countries rumbles on after a Russian warplane was allegedly shot-down over Turkish airspace.
The Russian flight engineer, Captain Konstantin Murakhtin, who was returned to his base after a 12-hour rescue mission today with Russian and Syrian special forces, told local television there was "no way" their jet could have violated Turkish airspace, as Turkey said it did.
Window were broken at the embassy (Source: Getty)
Russia claims the SU-24 jet never strayed into Turkish airspace, while Turkey insists the plane's pilots – one of whom died – were warned 10 times in five minutes before it was shot down.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvdev warned earlier that the incident yesterday could lead to a break in partnerships between the two countries.
He said any "undermining of neighbourly relations between Moscow and Ankara" could lead to "refusal from important joint projects" as well as the "loss of Turkish companies' positions on Russian markets".
Protestors threw eggs and stones (Source: Getty)
Turkey, a Nato member, called for an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss the issue.
Both Nato and the US have called for "calm and de-escalation", backing Turkey's version of events.
Nato's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said: "Assessments we have got from several allies are consistent" with Ankara's account.