MOSCOW (Sputnik) —On Monday, Turkish police officer Mevlut Mert Altintas shot Karlov at an art gallery exhibition opening in Ankara. Karlov died from the gunshot wounds. The Russian Foreign Ministry described the attack as an act of terrorism. The gunman was killed at the scene by the police.
"The opponents of the process for peaceful settlement in Syria, the opponents of rapprochement between Russia and Turkey, tried to sever these processes, but we understand that this terrorist act will not have any political consequences. But we must find and punish the organizers to the full extent," Sazonov said.
The ambassador added that the Russian embassy in Bolivia will take steps to improve its security in the wake of the attack, noting that Bolivian President Evo Morales had condemned the "foul" murder and expressed solidarity with Karlov's family.
The US embassy in Turkey remained closed on Tuesday and will only provide emergency services on Wednesday after an armed man attempted to enter the building shortly after the Russian ambassador's death just several miles away.
Both Russia and Turkey reaffirmed their commitment to improving relations and settling the Syrian crisis in the wake of the attack. The two countries are also launching a joint probe into the murder. Russia opened a terrorism-related investigation in to the case, with Russian investigators arriving in Turkey on Tuesday.
