Turkey has released audio recordings of what it says are the Turkish military’s repeated warnings to the pilot of the Russian plane before it was shot down at the border with Syria _ audio that grows increasingly more agitated.
The recordings, made available to The Associated Press on Thursday, indicate the plane was warned several times Tuesday that it was approaching Turkey’s airspace and asked to change course, but there is no indication of a Russian reply.
Turkey shot down the Russian Su-24 bomber on Tuesday, insisting it had violated its airspace despite repeated warnings. It was the first time in half a century that a NATO member had shot down a Russian plane.
A surviving Russian pilot has denied that his jet veered into Turkey's airspace and rejected Turkey's claim that it had issued repeated warnings to the Russian crew.
The downing prompted dueling comments Thursday from the two countries’ leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin complained that Turkey still hadn’t apologized for downing the plane or given assurances that "the culprits of this crime" will be punished.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey had not specifically targeted Russia when it shot down the plane, saying it was "an automatic response" in line with its rules of engagement.
See Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.