MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Turkey extends its deep condolences over the assassination of Russian Ambassador in Ankara Andrei Karlov earlier in the day, the Turkish Embassy in Moscow told TASS.

"An inhumane tragedy occurred today with our high-ranking colleague Andrei Karlov," the Turkish diplomatic mission in Moscow said. "There can be no common-sense person without condemning this evil."

"The tragedy took place during the period of close cooperation between our countries," the statement from the embassy said. "We mourn with all our hearts. We express our deep condolences to the people of Russia. This is our common tragedy and loss."

Earlier in the day, an unidentified assailant opened rapid gunfire in the Turkish capital of Ankara during the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition dedicated to bilateral relations between Russia and Turkey and called ‘Russia through Turks’ eyes.’

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Karlov, who had been invited to the opening ceremony of the exhibition in downtown Ankara, was shot during the attack and later died in a hospital of the sustained wounds, according to Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Three more people also sustained gun wounds during the attack, according to various media reports, and the assailant was killed by local law enforcements.

According to the Russian diplomatic mission in Ankara, there were no other citizens of Russia wounded as a result of the attack in the Turkish capital.