Beirut/Ankara: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called Turkey's decision to down a Russian warplane near the Syria border a "stab in the back."
Speaking at a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Putin accepted his condolences on the death of a Russian pilot.
Putin said the Russian Su-24 jet was shot by a missile from a Turkish jet over Syria about 1 kilometer (just over a half-mile) away from the Turkish border, which he described as a "stab in the back by the terrorists' accomplices."
Putin warned that the incident would have "significant consequences" for its relations with Turkey and criticized Ankara for turning to NATO to discuss the incident instead of first explaining to Russia what happened.
Also Read: Russia confirms its warplane shot down by Turkey
Turkey, however, defended its action and said that the country has the right "to take all kinds of measures" against border violations according to international laws.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey will not hesitate to take all steps to protect the country's security, calling it Turkey's "national duty." He stressed that the action did not amount to an aggression against any foreign territory.
Davutoglu also called on the international community to work toward "extinguishing the fire that is burning in Syria."
Turkey said it shot down the Russian plane after it violated Turkish airspace and ignored repeated warnings.
As per the latest reports, a rebel group in Syria has claimed that the pilot of drowned jet is dead and they have his body.
A spokesman for the rebel group said rebels are conducting search operations in the area to find the second crew member.
Jahed Ahmad of the 10th Brigade in the Coast, a group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, said his group would consider exchanging the body of the Russian pilot they are holding with prisoners held by the Syrian government.
He added that rebels shot one of the pilots, who landed dead on the ground.
The group released a video showing gunmen standing around a blond pilot whose face was bruised and appeared dead.
Ahmad said about the Russian pilot: "This is the body of a Russian member of the military who was killing Syrian people."
He added: "We have the body and we will see what to do with it."
Russia said the Su-24 was downed by artillery fire, but Turkey claimed that its F-16s fired on the Russian plane after it ignored several warnings. The ministry said the pilots parachuted but added that Moscow had no further contact with them.
Video footage of the incident showed a warplane on fire before crashing on a hill and two crew members apparently parachuting safely.
On Friday, Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador demanding that Russia cease operations in Syria targeting Turkmen villages, saying the Russian actions did not "constitute a fight against terrorism" but the bombing of civilians. Ambassador Andrey Karlov was warned during the meeting that the Russian operations could lead to serious consequences, the ministry said.
Syrian troops have been on the offensive in the area that is controlled by several insurgent groups including al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, and the 2nd Coastal Division that consists of local Turkmen fighters.
Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the warplane crashed in the Turkmen Mountains region in the coastal province of Latakia.
The Turkmen Mountains region has been subjected to a government offensive in recent days under the cover of Russian airstrikes.
Three Russian journalists working in Latakia province suffered minor injuries when a missile landed near their car on Monday, Russia's Defense Ministry said. They were being treated in a military hospital.
(With inputs from AP)
