ANKARA (Sputnik) — The Yeni Akit newspaper published an article on Basayev earlier on Tuesday on the anniversary of his elimination by the Russian FSB operatives. According to the article, Basayev "is remembered with compassion and gratitude" and people "mourn for him". The article also quotes several statements by Basayev of a terrorist nature.
"The article in the Turkish newspaper Yeni Akit, praising the terrorist responsible for the deaths of many people, is regrettable," Leshukov said.
"We are disappointed by another anti-Russian publication that clearly does not correspond to the high level of Russian-Turkish relations," the diplomat stressed, adding that the praise of any manifestations of terrorism and members of terrorist structures "is unacceptable."
Basayev was allegedly responsible for the hospital hostage crisis in northwestern Russian town of Budyonnovsk in 1995 when at least 140 people died, the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis leaving 133 people killed, and the 2004 school siege in Beslan, northwestern Russia, with over 350 casualties.
