Russia to Maintain Contacts With Turkey Over Damages for Downing Su-24

Russia will maintain contacts with Turkey on the subject of damages for the downing of the Russian Su-24 combat jet last fall, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Su-24 bomber was shot on November 24, 2015 by a Turkish F-16 fighter near the Turkish border over Syria. Following the incident, Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Turkey and has repeatedly said that Ankara should apologize for downing the plane and cover any material losses to the country and the pilot's family.

"There will be contact on this subject, I do not know what results they will bring," Ushakov told reporters following Ankara's apologies for shooting down Russia's Su-24 in November that led to a rapprochement this week.

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to express regret and send condolences for the November 2015 downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber in Syria by Turkey.

On Wednesday, the two leaders held a phone conversation for the first time in more than seven months. Following the talks with Erdogan, Putin ordered the government to prepare to lift administrative restrictions against Turkey in tourism field.