Britain declares full military support to Turkey as Russia dispatches warship to the Mediterranean

[mike2000 is back]

World leaders scramble to defuse 'monstrous' new crisis over Russia's downed jet: Putin ratchets the tension by dispatching warship to Mediterranean as Moscow expert warns war is 'likely'

• Britain has declared military back-up is on standby to support Turkey in any revenge attack by Putin's forces
• Russia warns of 'serious consequences' after Nato country downs Russian military jet for first time since 1953
• Two pilots were reportedly shot dead by Syrian rebels as they parachuted from burning Sukhoi Su-24 warplane
• Third Russian said to have died when rescue helicopter was hit with anti-tank missile by another rebel group
• Russia denied plane had been in Turkish airspace but Nato secretary-general says assessment showed it had
• A warship has been deployed to the Mediterranean Sea to destroy potential threats to Russian forces in Syria

By JAMES SLACK and LARISA BROWN FOR THE DAILY MAIL and ANTHONY JOSEPH FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 00:18, 25 November 2015 | UPDATED: 08:03, 25 November 2015

A 'monstrous' new crisis has begun after Turkey shot down a Russian military plane, sparking fears of a war.

Vladimir Putin has accused the Turks of a 'stab in the back', branding them 'accomplices of terrorists'.

Russia warned the incident – the first time a Nato country has downed a Russian military jet since 1953 – would have 'serious consequences'. And a leading Moscow military analyst said war was 'most likely'.

Putin has broken off any military contact with Turkey in the fight against ISIS and is deploying a warship, with an air defence system, to the Mediterranean Sea. The cruiser will destroy 'any targets representing a potential danger' to Russian forces in Syria.

Its defence ministry also said that Russian bombers carrying out airstrikes in Syria will now be escorted by jet fighters.

Britain has already declared that military back-up is on standby to support Turkey in any revenge attack by Putin's forces. President Barack Obama also pledged America's support for Turkey following a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Last seconds of doomed warplane: The moment the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter planes yesterday

Warning: Russian president Vladimir Putin accused the Turks of a 'stab in the back', branding them 'accomplices of terrorists'


Two Russian pilots were shot dead by Syrian rebels as they parachuted from their burning warplane, it was claimed yesterday.

A third was killed during a mission to rescue the pair as another rebel group shot a helicopter with an anti-tank missile.

Disturbing footage shows a dead pilot covered in blood on the ground as anti-government fighters gather chanting 'Allahu Akbar' – Arabic for 'God is great'.

Another video appeared to show forces shooting at the pilots with machine guns after they had ejected from the Sukhoi Su-24, which had been blasted by two Turkish F-16 jets for violating the country's airspace. Gunfire can be heard as one of the rebels cries: 'Don't shoot, let's capture them as hostages.'

The rebels – ethnic Turks backed by Turkey and fighting dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has been supported by Russia – said the pilots were killed as they parachuted over north-west Syria.

Last night Russia confirmed the death of only one of the pilots and the crew member killed during the rescue mission. Footage also emerged of rebels firing the anti-tank missile at one of the two helicopters sent to rescue the pilots.

On display: Alpaslan Celik (centre), a deputy commander in a Syrian Turkmen brigade, holding handles believed to be parts of a parachute

Incoming: One of the pilots can be seen parachuting down after ejecting from the plane (left), as the wreckage burns (right)

Fire: The Syrian Free Army claims that this is the moment when they destroyed a Russian army helicopter which had been sent on a search and rescue mission to save the two Russian pilots of the jet which was shot down by Turkey this morning

 

[mike2000 is back]

Destroyed: A rebel spokesman said troops fired a Tao missile that destroyed the helicopter after it landed and its pilots had left the aircraft

The US-trained Free Syrian Army's First Coastal Division brought down the Russian rescue helicopter on Turkmen Mountain. A video showed a soldier dressed in military fatigues firing a missile, before saying: 'Allahu Akbar.'

The helicopter, in dense woodland, can then be seen burning in the background. A Russian military spokesman said it was one of two helicopters taking part in the operation. The rest of the crew was taken to the air base used by Russia in Syria.

The area where the Russian warplane went down is mainly populated by Turkmen – Syrian citizens but ethnic Turks – and is the focus of a Syrian government offensive.

Russia denied the plane had been inside Turkish airspace, but Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said an assessment showed it had.

Turkey said the plane entered its airspace for 17 seconds, despite repeated warnings. It crashed in Syria, 2.5 miles from the border.

As Britain scrambled to respond, Whitehall sources said up to 12 Typhoon warplanes – designed for air-to-air combat – were on stand-by if Turkey requested assistance defending against Russian incursions.


The British MoD deployed six Typhoon jets at the base in Akrotiri, Cyprus where several other Tornado fighter jets are based..


A military aircraft comes into land at the British RAF Akrotiri airbase on March 19, 2011 in Cyprus

British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said: "Clearly this is a serious incident but it wouldn't be wise to comment further until we have the facts."

A Downing Street spokesman added: "We will continue to work closely with the Turks and we will stand by the offers of support we have made to them already."

US President Obama and Erdogan spoke by phone yesterday about the need to de-escalate tensions with Russia after Turkey, the White House said

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today said the potential repercussions of the incident is 'a matter of great concern'

 

[Husnainshah]

Turkey is not dumb. The shooting down of Russian fighter couldn't be done without U.S backing. And as of now, we've seen U.S, France and now UK supporting Turkey. Russia might just have to move on.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Flight: This map shows the route of the Russian jet (shown in red), based on data released by the Turkish government, including where it violated Turkish airspace, and the area in the Turkomen Mountains where it crashed

This image released by the Turkish Army reportedly shows the flight radar tracking the movement of the downed Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet (in red), showing where it entered Turkish air space and where it went down. The blue line illustrates the Turkish border with Syria

U.S. President Obama and Erdogan spoke by phone yesterday about the need to de-escalate tensions with Russia after Turkey, the White House said.

Obama expressed 'U.S. and NATO support for Turkey's right to defend its sovereignty,' a statement read.

It added: 'The leaders agreed on the importance of de-escalating the situation and pursuing arrangements to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.'

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today said the potential repercussions of the incident is 'a matter of great concern'.

He added: 'We call on all parties to exercise restraint in respect of this incident.'


Australia has six F/A-18A Hornet fighters flying missions against Islamic State militant targets in Iraq and Syria as part of the U.S.-led coalition.

He said there was a memorandum of understanding between the coalition forces and the Russians setting out rules for air operations over Syria 'to avoid incidents like the one we've just seen.'

'We are paying very close attention to that and of course the safety of our personnel.

'It is essential for all of the parties in that increasingly complex conflict to have a high degree of awareness of where each other's military assets are being deployed.'

Turnbull said there was a strong momentum to find a political resolution to the Syrian conflict, notwithstanding the shooting down of the Russian plane.

Handles: Mr Celik is seen holding what are said to be parts of a parachute used by one of the pilots who ejected when the jet was blown up


A UK defence source said: 'Our Typhoons would do exactly what the Turkish jets have done today.

'They would interrogate any aircraft that flew into Turkish airspace, try to find out what they are doing and, if they ignore warnings, send a rocket to take them out.'

Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu insisted Turkey had the right to take 'all kinds of measures' against violations of its airspace.

But, in a phone call, David Cameron urged Mr Davutoglu to hold talks with Russia to avoid escalation.

Mr Putin claimed his military had been targeting Islamic fanatics on the Turkey-Syria border.

He said: 'Our military is doing heroic work against terrorism but the loss today is a stab in the back, carried out by the accomplices of terrorists.

'Proof'? This image (left) accompanied by a video (right) claims to show one of the Russian pilots found dead by Turkmen rebels

'I can't describe it in any other way. We will never tolerate such crimes like the one committed today.'

Sir Michael Graydon, former head of the RAF, said: 'It horrifies me that the Russians were stupid enough to fly either that close to the border or violate the border.

'But of all the tensions in that part of the world was it absolutely necessary to shoot the aircraft down? One aircraft was not going to change the course of history and now it probably will. Shooting down the aircraft has caused a monstrous diplomatic problem.'

One of Moscow's most respected military analysts said war was 'most likely'. Pavel Felgenhauer said Turkey was seeking to protect an area in northern Syria controlled by its allies, the Turkmen.

The analyst said Mr Putin must either accept this zone 'or start a war with Turkey' which it could win only by going nuclear.

DOWNING OF RUSSIAN JET ADDS TO 'TOXIC COCKTAIL' IN THE REGION, A MIDDLE EAST EXPERT HAS WARNED
Turkey shooting down a Russian jet is just proof of the 'toxic cocktail' of dangers in the region which could erupt into crisis with devastating effect, an expert has warned.


Middle East expert Shashank Joshi, from the Royal United Services Institute, said the skies over Syria and Turkey are an 'incredibly crowded airspace', with planes from both nations and members of the US-led coalition against IS - including the UK - operating.

Turkey, a Nato member, has already complained about Russian incursions into its skies and last month the alliance condemned the 'unacceptable violations of Turkish airspace by Russian combat aircraft'.

Mr Joshi said: 'The situation is dangerous because Russia is quite probably deliberately probing Turkish airspace both for military reasons and political reasons.'

The Russians will be testing the military responses of the Nato member, but also carrying out the same 'psychological intimidation' tactics used in the Baltic and North Atlantic, he suggested.

The combination of the crowded airspace, Russian probing tactics and the diplomatic tensions create a 'real toxic cocktail that can easily erupt into crisis', he warned.

Ankara will be 'furious' at the incursion and Russia can expect Nato to strike a 'tough' note, but behind the scenes there will be intense diplomatic efforts to calm tensions.

But if Moscow responds in a provocative way, there is a risk of the crisis escalating.

Mr Joshi warned: 'These things always proceed in a very unpredictable fashion. We have seen how conflicts can begin when there are large alliances.'

Blast: Footage of Mr Rumyantsev was followed by the release of a second video, claiming to show members of the US-trained Free Syrian Army firing an anti-tank missile and destroying the helicopter sent by Russian forces to rescue the surviving pilot

Shocking: A body said to be that of a Russian pilot shot down over the Turkey-Syria border is surrounded and displayed by armed locals


Meanwhile, Downing Street last night insisted it would not halt plans for military action against Islamic State in Syria.

Mr Cameron is due to set out the case for RAF bombing raids tomorrow – with a vote as early as Tuesday.

His spokesman said: 'It doesn't change two important factors, which are the threat posed by Isil to the UK and the need to work in a coalition to be doing more – and the Prime Minister has said he believes in doing more – in Syria.'

She said RAF planes regularly pass through Turkish airspace with permission for air strikes on IS in Iraq, so nothing would change.

A RAF Tornado fighter jet at Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus.

David Cameron with British military personnel in Cyprus. Britain has declared military back-up is on standby to support Turkey in any revenge attack by Putin's forces

Analyst Justin Bronk, of the Royal United Services Institute, said yesterday's incident could lead to cyber-attacks and increased information warfare from Russia.

KURDS, TURKMEN AND SUNNI & SHIA: WHO'S WHO IN A REGION WHICH HAS BEEN TORN APART BY HATE
SUNNI AND SHIA

Islam's two big sects disagree on who should have succeeded the Prophet Muhammad as leader. Syria's population is majority Sunni but it has had a Shia government under President Assad. This is the opposite of Iraq before the Iraq War, when the minority Sunnis, led by Saddam Hussein, governed a Shia majority.

Islamic State is a Sunni group, but many Sunnis have fled areas where it has taken over in Iraq. It is also known as Isis, Isil or Daesh – an Arabic acronym hated by the militants because it has multiple negative meanings including 'bigots who impose their views'.

Sunnis are the majority across the Islamic world. Shiites have majorities in Iran, Iraq and Bahrain, with significant communities in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

KURDS

The fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East are largely Sunni Muslims. They have played a large role in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, fighting against IS. Turkey has a troubled history with the Kurds, who are a sizeable minority there and have fought for greater rights and in some cases independence.

TURKMEN

Ethnic Turks who have lived in the region of Syria, Iraq and Iran since the 11th century.Backed by Turkey, they are against President Assad and took up arms against his regime soon after the start of the uprising in 2011. Turkey has complained Russian airstrikes have been targeting villages where the group live.



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Britain just like all of NATO stands by Turkey in case of any attack/invasion of Turkey by Russia. Think Russia should stop violating Turkeys borders for no good reason and focus on its fight against ISIS.WIN-WIN for everybody.

 

[Vergennes]

Britain just like all of NATO stands by Turkey in case of any attack/invasion of Turkey by Russia. Think Russia should stop violating Turkeys borders for no good reason and focus on its fight against ISIS.WIN-WIN for everybody.

We must also stand with Greece that faced more than 2.000 violations of its airspace by Turkey in 2014 alone !

 

[xenon54 out]

Putin shouldnt talk about ''Backstabbing'' while playing dangerous games and getting a blody nose afterwards.
Its by far not the first Russian agression against NATO.

Full list of incidents involving Russian military and Nato since March 2014 | Europe | News | The Independent

We must also stand with Greece that faced more than 2.000 violations of its airspace by Turkey in 2014 alone !

Its visa versa, and no shooting down as you can see.

 

[mike2000 is back]

We must also stand with Greece that faced more than 2.000 violations of its airspace by Turkey in 2014 alone !

True, but that's an internal affair for NATO to solve within its own members countries themselves. It's totally different from this one.

 

[Schutz]

I wish we can just get rid of our leadership and that motherfucker Obama, everything they do goes against what the general public wants its sickening.

 

[A1Kaid]

Turkey is not dumb. The shooting down of Russian fighter couldn't be done without U.S backing. And as of now, we've seen U.S, France and now UK supporting Turkey. Russia might just have to move on.

Yeah, I think there must have been US backing. In fact, I read some US commander or general in Iraq were aware of the pre-planned operation going on before the Russian jets were even shot down.

 

[Schutz]

Yeah, I think there must have been US backing. In fact, I read some US commander or general in Iraq were aware of the pre-planned operation going on before the Russian jets were even shot down.

I dont know, to me it seems like there was a bit more unity recently with Russia, EU, USA and none of it favors Turkey who have committed this act to drag everyone back into the mix.

 

[Steve781]

This is IF war breaks out. A very unlikely scenario. I don't think we'll be sending jets to Turkey right now.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

World leaders scramble to defuse 'monstrous' new crisis over Russia's downed jet: Putin ratchets the tension by dispatching warship to Mediterranean as Moscow expert warns war is 'likely'

• Britain has declared military back-up is on standby to support Turkey in any revenge attack by Putin's forces
• Russia warns of 'serious consequences' after Nato country downs Russian military jet for first time since 1953
• Two pilots were reportedly shot dead by Syrian rebels as they parachuted from burning Sukhoi Su-24 warplane
• Third Russian said to have died when rescue helicopter was hit with anti-tank missile by another rebel group
• Russia denied plane had been in Turkish airspace but Nato secretary-general says assessment showed it had
• A warship has been deployed to the Mediterranean Sea to destroy potential threats to Russian forces in Syria

By JAMES SLACK and LARISA BROWN FOR THE DAILY MAIL and ANTHONY JOSEPH FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 00:18, 25 November 2015 | UPDATED: 08:03, 25 November 2015

A 'monstrous' new crisis has begun after Turkey shot down a Russian military plane, sparking fears of a war.

Vladimir Putin has accused the Turks of a 'stab in the back', branding them 'accomplices of terrorists'.

Russia warned the incident – the first time a Nato country has downed a Russian military jet since 1953 – would have 'serious consequences'. And a leading Moscow military analyst said war was 'most likely'.

Putin has broken off any military contact with Turkey in the fight against ISIS and is deploying a warship, with an air defence system, to the Mediterranean Sea. The cruiser will destroy 'any targets representing a potential danger' to Russian forces in Syria.

Its defence ministry also said that Russian bombers carrying out airstrikes in Syria will now be escorted by jet fighters.

Britain has already declared that military back-up is on standby to support Turkey in any revenge attack by Putin's forces. President Barack Obama also pledged America's support for Turkey following a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Last seconds of doomed warplane: The moment the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter planes yesterday

Warning: Russian president Vladimir Putin accused the Turks of a 'stab in the back', branding them 'accomplices of terrorists'


Two Russian pilots were shot dead by Syrian rebels as they parachuted from their burning warplane, it was claimed yesterday.

A third was killed during a mission to rescue the pair as another rebel group shot a helicopter with an anti-tank missile.

Disturbing footage shows a dead pilot covered in blood on the ground as anti-government fighters gather chanting 'Allahu Akbar' – Arabic for 'God is great'.

Another video appeared to show forces shooting at the pilots with machine guns after they had ejected from the Sukhoi Su-24, which had been blasted by two Turkish F-16 jets for violating the country's airspace. Gunfire can be heard as one of the rebels cries: 'Don't shoot, let's capture them as hostages.'

The rebels – ethnic Turks backed by Turkey and fighting dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has been supported by Russia – said the pilots were killed as they parachuted over north-west Syria.

Last night Russia confirmed the death of only one of the pilots and the crew member killed during the rescue mission. Footage also emerged of rebels firing the anti-tank missile at one of the two helicopters sent to rescue the pilots.

On display: Alpaslan Celik (centre), a deputy commander in a Syrian Turkmen brigade, holding handles believed to be parts of a parachute

Incoming: One of the pilots can be seen parachuting down after ejecting from the plane (left), as the wreckage burns (right)

Fire: The Syrian Free Army claims that this is the moment when they destroyed a Russian army helicopter which had been sent on a search and rescue mission to save the two Russian pilots of the jet which was shot down by Turkey this morning

Pakistan shot down 7 Russians jets before... Russian didnt do anything expect increasing KGB networks in Pakistan; Pakistan responded by liberating Afghanistan.

 

[Husnainshah]

to me it seems like there was a bit more unity recently with Russia, EU, USA

What unity? Haven't you been following Obama and Carter as of late on Russia? U.S softened a little only after Paris attacks and even now U.S welcomes(at least covertly) Russian action against ISIS.

 

[mike2000 is back]

This is IF war breaks out. A very unlikely scenario. I don't think we'll be sending jets to Turkey right now.

There wont be any war believe me.There will be a lot of loud rhetoric/diplomatic posturing but NO WAR The four big powers are just playing games in the region, they all know what the implications of a war between big powers means. So nope, won't be any war. As i said each side is just making noise not to lose face, after a week or so from now, everybody will forget about this and life will keep moving on.
As for the RAF sending jets to Turkey.....huh........where have you been living all this while bro? The RAF has been sending jets through Turkey while carrying out strikes in Iraq and Syria for a LONG TIME NOW, i'm not even talking about the access/logistical support the RAF and USAF had through bases in Turkey( Incirlik air base mainly) during/after the Iraq conflict. Some of us might not like it but being part of NATO means cooperating with one another and furthering each power's interests against foreign threats, else what's the point of NATO?

Incirlik Air Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_51977.htm
Turkey's Contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan

I dont know, to me it seems like there was a bit more unity recently with Russia, EU, USA

LOL Which unity? Don't be naive bro.
Its true the U.S,U.K,France and Russia showed some sort of unity recently over terrorism. However, THE ONLY THING THESE FOUR POWERS WERE/ARE UNITED ON IS AGAINST ISIS. Take out ISIS, then there is nothing much they agree on. In short, U.S,U.K,France all have conflicting interests with Russia, reason these four powers have been engaged in a Geo-political chess battle in Syria/Iraq. Russia is simply trying to reassert itself as a great power and to show western powers that it needs to be treated with respect/taken seriously.
So we can say the Syrian conflict that started as a genuine revolution against Tyranny/dictatorship has now turned into a Geo-political war. The many groups/actors in the region are merely a small part of a much bigger game that is going on between these 4 powers.

 

[jamahir]

The rebels – ethnic Turks backed by Turkey and fighting dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has been supported by Russia – said the pilots were killed as they parachuted over north-west Syria.

the dailymail always promotes anti-socialist nato propaganda, gays and thin/muscular females.

Pakistan shot down 7 Russians jets before... Russian didnt do anything expect increasing KGB networks in Pakistan; Pakistan responded by liberating Afghanistan.

oh let us not get too excited about that fake-jihad... there were many pakistanis then who were opposed to zia ul haq... and indeed as you indicated, there was good presence of ussr influence in pakistan... the indian establishment was worried about that and didn't want pakistan to become another progressive eastern bloc country.

rajiv gandhi saw pakistan as buffer against ussr