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Turkey says pilot’s body to be flown back to Russian Federation
Posted On Nov 30 2015
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“He was a role model for me in everything”, said Pavel Peshkov, Oleg Peshov’s brother, according to the New York Daily News.
Earlier on Sunday, Lt Col Peshkov’s body was received by Turkish authorities at Hatay airport on the Syrian border.
One of the two pilots aboard the plane which was downed on Tuesday was shot dead in Syria after parachuting from the burning aircraft, while the second was found safe and sound.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu added that the pilot’s body had been treated in accordance with Orthodox Christian tradition.
Military did its job protecting airspace, no apology to Russian Federation for downing jet.
“We hope that Russian Federation will reconsider these reactions, these measures, which will be against our interests both”, Davutoglu said. “Protection of Turkish airspace, Turkish borders is a national duty, and our army did their job to protect this airspace”.
Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian warplane on November 24, sparking Cold War-style tensions between Russia and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, of which Turkey is a member. Russian marine Alexander Pozynich, 29, was killed in the rescue mission.
Russian Federation began airstrikes in Syria on September 30 that it says are focused on IS fighters. He spoke after a meeting with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation chief in Brussels and said Turkey remains open to talks with Russian Federation about ways to avoid such incidents in the future.
Davutoglu insisted a violation occurred, and said Turkey had repeatedly warned Russian Federation about incursions into its airspace.
Douglas Lute, the USA ambassador to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, said he saw American data which “corroborates Turkey’s version of events”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called for sanctions against Turkey including bans on some Turkish goods and extensions on work contracts for Turks working in Russia.
The decree also calls for an end to charter flights between the countries.
