Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Reuters file photo)
Turkey will not apologise to Russia over the downing of a warplane on the Syrian border, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today.
"Those who violated our airspace should apologise to us," he said in an interview, Xinhua reported.
Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Turkey has not apologised for the downing of a Russian warplane or not offered to make up for the damages.
Ties between Ankara and Moscow soured after Turkish F-16 jets on Tuesday shot down a Russian Su-24 on a bombing mission near the Syrian border.
Turkey claimed that the Russian aircraft violated its national airspace, therefore the army implemented rules of engagement.
Turkey's downing of a Russian Su-24 warplane has dealt a "devastating" blow to bilateral ties, the Kremlin said today.
"It will be very difficult to mend bilateral relations after such quite devastating damage. It is too serious an incident that serious consequences are unavoidable... and we are still waiting for realistic explanations from the Turkish side," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.