NATO "politically covered" Ankara in the incident with the destruction of the Russian Su-24 by the Turkish Air Force in Syria, TASS quotes the statement of Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO Alexander Grushko. This is how he commented on the statement of the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that Russia and NATO "discussed the incident with the Su-24."

Grushko explained that he had spoken with NATO First Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow and outlined to him the Russian assessment of what had happened, and also cited military and political factors indicating a deliberate attack on the Russian aircraft in Syrian airspace. The Russian Permanent Representative emphasized that "NATO, by failing to give a fundamental assessment of this illegal act, essentially provided political cover for Ankara, a member of the alliance, and therefore bears responsibility for the incident."

The Russian representative also pointed to NATO's "double standards." Thus, the Alliance Council's statement of October 5 in connection with the so-called "violations" of Turkish airspace by Russian aircraft referred to "NATO practice" of actions in this situation. According to it, "the Turkish fighter approached the so-called "violator," identified it, and escorted it until it left the country's airspace." In the case of the downed Su-24, "these NATO regulations were not observed," and the pilots did not even know whose aircraft had violated the airspace.

On November 30, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said that Moscow and Turkey should hold direct contacts to assess the situation and discuss how to avoid similar incidents in the future. He had previously stressed that "NATO data" on the incident "coincides with Turkey's assessment," and that the alliance recognizes its sovereign right to protect its borders.

Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO Accuses Alliance of Political Covering for Ankara