Pentagon insists Russia violated Turkish airspace, calls for calm on both sides

The US Department of Defense “can confirm” that a Russian Su-34 strike fighter violated Turkish airspace on Friday, the Pentagon’s spokesman said in a statement. Yet Washington has called on both Moscow and Ankara to “take measures to prevent escalation.”

“We are aware of reports and can confirm that yesterday another Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish — and NATO – airspace,” Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright told RIA Novosti in a written statement Saturday, Russia Today reported on Sunday.

“We call on Russia to respect Turkish airspace and cease activities that risk further heightening instability in the region,” Wright’s statement goes on.

Taking the side of its NATO ally, Pentagon also stressed that it was important that Russia and Turkey “talk to each other and take measures to prevent escalation.”

Earlier the same day, the Turkish Foreign Ministry claimed that Russian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-34 frontline bomber had violated Turkey’s airspace Friday, and summoned the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry over the alleged air intrusion.

Source: MENA