Assassination of Russian ambassador

Putin ordered security at Turkish diplomatic facilities in Russia to be stepped up and said he wanted guarantees from Turkey about the safety of Russian diplomatic facilities.

Television footage showed the 62-year-old’s body lying in an open casket in the marble-clad lobby of the building, flanked by uniformed honour guards.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivered a speech about the deceased diplomat.

The gunman was killed after a 15-minute shootout with police, according to Russian officials.

The Russian President postponed his big press conference, which was scheduled for this day, to take part in the ceremony.

Kirby asked for patience while investigators, which includes a team of Turkish and Russian authorities, finish their work in the case. On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to draw any conclusions when questioned about the Gulen claim, but added that the murder was a blow to the country’s prestige.

– A senior security official said there were “very strong signs” the gunman belonged to the network of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says orchestrated the failed coup in July.

Erdogan told reporters that intelligence agencies in Turkey were probing Atlintas’ possible foreign links saying that there were “certain clues” which suggested that he had overseas connections.

It is not clear whether anyone was hurt during the shooting outside the American embassy, reports RT.

The assassination Monday of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov in Ankara, Turkey, had the potential to destabilize already-strained relations between the two nations, which back different sides in the Syrian war and have other points of conflict.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kerry was told that that both Turkey and Russian Federation “know” that the network led by Gulen was behind the attack.

On December 10, 44 people, mostly policemen, were killed and over 150 more injured in a twin bomb attack, during the second of which a bomber detonated his explosive belt as police arrived to surround him. Those still in custody include Altintas’ roommate.