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Erdogan says joint team starts probing into Russian ambassador's murder

The Russian Foreign Ministry declared the killing an act of terrorism

© EPA/TUMAY BERKIN

MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. A joint team of Turkish and Russian investigators has started probing into the killing of Russian ambassador in Ankara Andrey Karlov, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Istanbul at the inauguration of the Eurasia Tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait.

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Erdogan says Russian diplomat’s assassination in Ankara ‘obvious provocation’

"Turkey and Russia have formed a joint team of investigators. Russian representatives have already arrived and got down to work. We will not let anyone harm Turkish-Russian relations," he promised.

"On behalf of the Turkish nation and on my own behalf I strongly condemn the killing of the Russian ambassador and curse [the perpetrators]. We have had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and we are unanimous it was an outright provocation aimed at harming our relations," Erdogan said. He promised that all those responsible will be tracked down and brought to justice.

Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was gunned down at the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition Russia from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka through a Traveler’s Eyes in Ankara on Monday evening. The Turkish authorities said the attacker, a policeman, was promptly liquidated by the local security services. The Russian Foreign Ministry interpreted the killing as an act of terrorism. Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened criminal proceedings over an act of international terrorism.

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