The Ambassador of Russia to Turkey was shot dead by a gunman at an art exhibit in Ankara city late on Monday evening. (Photo: Reuters)
According to reports, the lone Turkish gunman shouted ‘God is great!’ and chanted in support of Syria while opening fire on Ambassador Andrey G. Karlov.
The Turkish officials have said the assailant was an off duty policeman and at least three others were also wounded in the attack.
The officials further added that those behind the attack were trying to drive a wedge between the two countries.
“I believe this is an attack on Turkey, the Turkish state and the Turkish people, and also a clear provocation to Turkish-Russian relations. I am sure our Russian friends also see this fact,” Anadolu news agency cited President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying in the aftermath of the killing of the top Russian envoy in Turkey.
The Russian President Vladimir Putin quoted by Russia Today said “This murder is clearly a provocation aimed at undermining the improvement and normalization of Russian-Turkish relations, as well as undermining the peace process in Syria promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in settling the conflict in Syria.”
