Russian finger may have pushed the button to down Turkish jet: Report

ISTANBUL

EPA Photo

Diplomatic sources have claimed that Russian authorities may be behind the decision to down the Turkish jet that was shot down by Syrian forces on June 22, according to the British daily Sunday Times.
 
Middle Eastern sources said it would not be surprising to discover Russia's involvement in the incident, claiming it might have been a direct message to NATO.
 
Russia may be aiming to underline that Syria was a case unlike Libya, and there would be a price to pay for any attempts to impose a no-fly zone, the unnamed sources further said.
 
"Some Russian experts are still in Syria," a diplomat told the Sunday Times.
 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently told reporters during a press meeting in Geneva that Russia had objective data on the downed Turkish jet and was willing to share it with Turkey.