Erdogan's Twisted Logic: S-400 Must Not Shoot Down Turkish Jets Over Syria

© Sputnik / Dmitry Vinogradov / Go to the mediabankAnti-aircraft missile system S-400 during combat duty to ensure the safety of the Russian air group in Syria
Anti-aircraft missile system S-400 during combat duty to ensure the safety of the Russian air group in Syria - Sputnik International
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In what is a prime example of twisted logic, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russia against using its ultra-modern S-400 air defense system to shoot down Turkish fighter jets if they violate Syrian airspace just days after Ankara brought down a Russian Su-24 bomber.

Downing a Turkish warplane over Syrian territory would qualify as aggression, Erdogan told CNN in response to a question on what would happen if a Turkish fighter jet were to stray into Syrian territory.

"This kind of an incident which may happen of course will further push us to take measures. … Of course it will be an aggression against our rights of sovereignty and it is a natural right of [Turkey] to protect those rights," Erdogan said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Sputnik International
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On Tuesday, a Turkish F-16 shot down the Su-24, claiming that the aircraft violated its airspace. Russian officials and the Su-24 pilot, who survived the crash, insist that the plane did not cross into Turkey. The crew, according to the pilot, did not receive any warning prior to the attack.

The Su-24 was involved in Russia's counterterrorism efforts in Syria aimed at assisting Damascus in its fight against ISIL and other extremist groups trying to overthrow Bashar al-Assad.

Erdogan refused to apologize for the incident, which Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists."

​In the wake of the Su-24 crash, Russian defense officials decided to send the S-400 system to prevent similar incidents from happening.

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