Summary

  • Turkey says its forces have shot down a plane on the border with Syria

  • Russia says an Su-24 crashed on Syrian territory after being hit by an air-to-air missile

  • Turkey says the plane violated its airspace – an accusation Russia denies

  • President Vladimir Putin calls it 'a stab in the back by the accomplices of terrorists'

  • Turkey is a member of the Nato alliance, which has said it is ready to defend Turkey if Russia violated its airspace

Live Reporting

Paul Blake, Rone McFarlane, Josephine McDermott and Thom Poole

  1. Downed Russian jet analysis: Diplomatic fireworks ahead

    Jonathan Marcus
    BBC Defence correspondent

    This is exactly the kind of incident that many have feared since Russia launched its air operations in Syria. 

    The dangers of operating near to the Turkish border have been all too apparent.

    Turkish planes have already shot down at least one Syrian Air Force jet and possibly a helicopter as well.

    There are conflicting reports as to whether it was ground fire or Turkish jets that brought down the Russian plane. 

    Air operations in the crowded skies over Syria just got a good deal more complicated.

    The only mitigating factor is that initial reports suggest that two parachutes were seen so the Russian crew at least got out of their stricken aircraft. Diplomatic fireworks ahead!

  2. Turkey: 'Jets downed the plane'

    Turkey says its F-16 fighter jets shot down the Russian plane, but Russia says the plane was downed from the ground.

    A Turkish F-16 fighter jet takes off from Incirlik airbase in the southern city of Adana, TurkeyReuters

    Turkish F-16 fighter jet

  3. Fighter jet shot down near Syria's border with Turkey: What we know so far

    • The Russian defence ministry has confirmed that its Su-24 fighter jet was shot down near Syria's border with Turkey.

    • Turkey says the plane violated its airspace, but Russia denies this.

    • Russia has said the plane was shot down from the ground, while Turkey says its fighter planes downed the plane.

    • Turkey says they gave 10 warnings before shooting down the plane.  

    • Russia has confirmed that the two pilots ejected themselves, but their whereabouts and fate are not yet known.