Foreign Ministry summons Russian envoy over attacks on Turkish missions in Moscow

ANKARA

Protesters hold placards and shout slogans as they take part in an anti-Turkey picket outside the Turkish embassy in Moscow on November 25, 2015. AFP Photo

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador in Ankara to complain about protests against Turkish missions and businesses in Russia following Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet.

A Foreign Ministry statement said on Nov. 26 that Turkish offices had come under “unacceptable” physical attacks disguised as protests.

The statement said Turkey had urgently warned Russian authorities to increase protection for the embassy and other Turkish interests.

“Our unease in this situation, which we consider unacceptable, was brought to the attention of the Russian Ambassador in Ankara,” read the statement.

Protesters in Moscow hurled eggs and stones at the Turkish Embassy on Nov.25, breaking windows in the compound. 

Around 500 protestors from the Russia’s nationalist Political party LDPR (formerly the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia) carrying Russian, Syrian and party flags first shouted slogans against Turkey in front of the Turkish embassy in the afternoon before pelting the building with stones.

Windows on the first two floors of the four-story building were completely broken, according to diplomats at the embassy.

Diplomats said no one was injured in the attack and added that Russian police failed to stop the attack.
Protesters also pelted the embassy’s external wall with tomatoes and eggs.

The ultra-nationalist protestors also chanted, “We will come again tomorrow,” after the attack.

Police cleared the area and made some arrests shortly after the protest began.

Two Turkish F-16s shot down a plane on Nov. 24 around 9:20 a.m. near the southern province of Hatay’s Yayladağı district after the plane violated the border between Turkey and Syria and remained in Turkish airspace for five minutes despite being warned 10 times, according to a statement released by the Turkish General Staff immediately after the event.

The statement said the jet, of “unknown nationality,” was downed within the rules of engagement after it failed to heed the warnings. 

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador in Ankara on Nov. 24 to inform him about the incide