News / Russia

Russia opted against war after jet downing: Medvedev

Wednesday, 09 December 2015 7:10 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 09 December 2015 7:14 PM ]

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev meets with journalists from Russia's top television channels for his annual end-of-year interview in Moscow, Russia, on December 9, 2015. (AFP photo)

Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says his country decided against starting a war after Turkey shot down a Russian jet near the Syrian border in November.

“That was a direct assault on a foreign state. In the present situation a war is the worst [that] could happen,” Medvedev said on Wednesday of the November 24 incident which has strained relations between Moscow and Ankara.

The Russian premier said Ankara “violated the norms of the international law” by downing the Russian Su-24M fighter jet near Syria, adding that the move was “a casus belli.”

“What did 20th-century countries used to do in a similar situation? A war began,” Medvedev said.

He added, however, that Moscow decided not to react to the move and instead resort to other means to retaliate.

“That’s why a decision was taken not to give a symmetrical answer to what the Turks had done,” Medvedev said, adding, “Yet we had to make them understand they’re going to hold responsibility for their actions.”

Turkey shot down the Russian warplane in Syrian airspace, claiming that the aircraft had violated the Turkish airspace. Moscow rejected Ankara’s claim, saying the aircraft was over Syria, where Moscow has been carrying out airstrikes against terrorist groups since September 30.

Russia then retaliated by imposing on Turkey an array of economic sanctions, which includes bans on food import and tourist travel with Turkey. The Russian Defense Ministry has also suspended all military agreements with Turkey.

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