Moscow qualifies assassination of Russian ambassador to Turkey as terrorist attack

MOSCOW, December 19.TASS/. Russia qualifies the killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov as a terrorist attack, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

"We qualify the events as a terrorist attack, we stay in contact with Turkish officials who have pledged that a through all-round investigation will be carried out. The assassinators will be punished. Today this issue will be brought up at the UN Security Council," she said.

"Terrorism shall not pass, we will take resolute efforts against it," Zakharova stressed. "The memory of the outstanding Russian diplomat, the man who has done much to counter terrorism, Andrei Karlov, will always stay in our hearts. The Russian foreign ministry will issue a relevant statement later on Monday," she said.

Russia will address the UN Security Council regarding the assassination of Andrei Karlov, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said.

"This issue will be immediately raised today with the members of the UN Security Council," Zakharova said. "There is no place for terrorism and we will be resolutely fighting against it."

"The memory of Russia’s prominent diplomat Andrei Genndadievich Karlov will always stay in our hearts," Zakharova added.

Zakharova said Moscow expects honest, open dialog at the UN Security Council in connection with the assasination of the diplomat.

Earlier on Monday, an unidentified attacker opened sporadic fire at the opening of the photo exhibition Russia through Turks’ Eyes. Zakharova said the ambassador received a gunshot wound during the attack and was hospitalized. The diplomat died in hospital shortly after the attack.

According to the local authorities, the attacker was liquidated. Three people were injured. There were no Russians among them, a source from the Russian Embassy said.