Putin orders sanctions against Turkey

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to the media during his and France's President Francois Hollande news conference following the talks in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to the media during his and France's President Francois Hollande news conference following the talks in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015.

ANKARA, Turkey — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called for sanctions against Turkey, after the downing this week by Turkey of a Russian warplane.

The decree published on the Kremlin's website Saturday came hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had voiced regret over the incident, saying his country was "truly saddened" by the event and wished it hadn't occurred.

The decree includes a ban on some goods and forbids extensions of labor contracts for Turks working in Russia. It doesn't specify what goods are to be banned or give other details, but it also calls for ending chartered flights from Russia to Turkey and for Russian tourism companies to stop selling vacation packages that would include a stay in Turkey.

Erdogan's expression of regret Saturday was the first since Tuesday's incident in which Turkish F-16 jets shot down the Russian jet on grounds that it had violated Turkey's airspace despite repeated warnings to change course. It was the first time in half a century that a NATO member shot down a Russian plane and drew a harsh response from Moscow.

Read Sunday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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