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Ankara terrorist attack aimed at disruption of intra-Syrian talks - Russian senator

Ankara’s authorities said in a statement Wednesday that 18 people have been killed and 45 have been injured as a result of an explosion near a military dormitory

MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. A senior Russian senator said Wednesday the terrorist attack in the Turkish capital Ankara was aimed at aggravating the situation in the Middle East.

"There are no doubts that the organizers of the crime wanted to even more aggravate the situation in the Middle East. It was aimed at disrupting intra-Syrian talks," first deputy chairman of the Federation Council’s committee on defense and security Frants Klintsevich said.

Klintsevich commented on an explosion earlier Wednesday in front of a military dormitory in Ankara. He expressed hope that the Turkish authorities "will make decisions in a cool-headed manner."

The senator underscored that "Russia in principle does not accept terrorist acts as a means to solve any disputable problems." He said "there could be no justifications to such actions."

"We harshly condemn the blast in downtown Ankara, express our condolences to the friends and family of those killed," Klintsevich said.

Ankara’s authorities said in a statement Wednesday that 18 people have been killed and 45 have been injured as a result of an explosion near a military dormitory.