WarSclerotic

SHOT OUT OF THE SKY– Turks down ‘Russian plane violating their airspace’
By Scott Campbell / Published 10th October 2015 Via The Daily Star

(This may be just the beginning. – LS)

According to reports, eyewitnesses saw a large explosion in Huraytan, northern Syria, while three fighter jets were hovering above.

One journalist tweeted that three Turkish planes were responding to “mysterious” lock-ons from Mig-29 jets, which are used by Putin’s forces.

Daily Star Online has contacted the Turkish government and the Russian military but neither could be reached for comment.

It comes amid heightening tensions between Putin and the West just days after another Russian bomber violated Turkish airspace.

F-16 fighters were scrambled after a MIG-29 twin-engined jet locked radar on Turkish planes near the town of Yayladagi, in Hatay province close to the border with Syria.

Turkish jets then escorted the Soviet-era aircraft back into Syrian airspace.

The incursion followed nearly a week of Russia’s devastating bombing campaign in Syria after President Vladimir Putin declared war on Islamic State (ISIS).

Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Russia’s entry into the conflict in Syria had escalated the crisis and that Moscow admitted its warplane’s violation of Turkey’s airspace was a “mistake”.

Russia’s ambassador in Turkey was also summoned in protest at the provocative action.

Turkish officials have warned Moscow would be held “responsible for any undesired incident” that may occur in the future.

And earlier this week former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers warned of a cataclysmic clash between Russia and the US as tensions boil between both superpowers.

It came after Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced Britain is to station a “small number” of troops in the Baltic states in a further move to deter Russian aggression.

Mr Sawer said: “It is going to be quite hard to continue this campaign unless there is a degree of military co-ordination between the Russians and the West.

“You can’t really have two air forces fighting different campaigns aimed at different objectives over the same territory without the real risk of a clash.”