CHEBOKSARY, December 3. /TASS/. Lawmakers of the city assembly of Cheboksary, a port on the Volga River, terminated the agreement on twinning with the administration of the Turkish resort city of Antalya, the Cheboksary city assembly said Thursday.
"A unanimous decision was made to terminate the agreement between the twin cities of August 18, 2001 unilaterally," the statement said.
According to the assembly, the decision was made by presidium members on a proposal from Cheboksary mayor Leonid Cherkesov "in connection with the current foreign policy situation."
The Turkish Air Force’s F-16 fighter on November 24 shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M bomber, involved in Russia's antiterrorism operation in Syria, that Ankara claims violated the country’s airspace on the border with Syria.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Su-24M was above Syrian territory and "there was no violation of Turkey’s airspace." It said the Turkish Air Force fighter violated Syria’s airspace.
Relations between Russia and Turkey considerably deteriorated after the incident. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Turkey’s attack will have "serious consequences" for Russian-Turkish relations.
Putin said Ankara’s attack against the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 plane, which took part in Russia’s antiterrorism operation in Syria and did not present a threat to Turkey, was a "stab in Russia’s back" delivered by terrorists’ accomplices.
Putin on November 28 signed a decree "On measures to ensure Russia’s national security and protect nationals of the Russian Federation from criminal and other illegal actions and to use special economic measures against the Turkish Republic."
The document in particular introduces a ban or restriction on imports to the Russian Federation of certain goods from Turkey, whose list is to be compiled by the government. It also envisions a ban on employment of Turks, suspension of a visa-free regime with Turkey and a recommendation to tour operators to stop selling holiday packages to Turkey.