ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The body of a Russian military pilot shot down by Turkey on November 24 was recovered Sunday by Turkish officials, who presented it to the Russian government five days after the incident, Reuters has reported.
A coffin carrying the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov arrived at Turkey’s Hatay Airport near the Syrian border before being handed over to Russian authorities Sunday.
Reuters did not reveal how Turkey recovered the body, but rebel groups in northern Syria, some of which are supported by Ankara, claimed to have killed Peshkov by shooting him as he parachuted out of his struck plane. Peshkov is also believed to have parachuted into an area in northern Syria affiliated with the Turkmen ethnic group, which also has strong ties with Turkey.
Turkish fighter jets shot down Peshkov’s Su-24 aircraft after it reportedly violated the country’s airspace near the Syrian border. Ankara said the pilots were warned “10 times in five minutes” to exit restricted airspace, while Moscow maintains the warplane never entered Turkey’s airspace while conducting operations over Syria in support of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Peshkov’s copilot, who parachuted out of the aircraft after it was struck, was recovered alive by Russian and Syrian forces on November 25. Alexander Pozynich, a Russian marine, was reportedly also killed in efforts to recover the two pilots.
Tension has risen between Russia and Turkey in the past week due to the downed jet, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced economic sanctions against Turkey.
A coffin carrying the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov arrived at Turkey’s Hatay Airport near the Syrian border before being handed over to Russian authorities Sunday.
Reuters did not reveal how Turkey recovered the body, but rebel groups in northern Syria, some of which are supported by Ankara, claimed to have killed Peshkov by shooting him as he parachuted out of his struck plane. Peshkov is also believed to have parachuted into an area in northern Syria affiliated with the Turkmen ethnic group, which also has strong ties with Turkey.
Turkish fighter jets shot down Peshkov’s Su-24 aircraft after it reportedly violated the country’s airspace near the Syrian border. Ankara said the pilots were warned “10 times in five minutes” to exit restricted airspace, while Moscow maintains the warplane never entered Turkey’s airspace while conducting operations over Syria in support of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Peshkov’s copilot, who parachuted out of the aircraft after it was struck, was recovered alive by Russian and Syrian forces on November 25. Alexander Pozynich, a Russian marine, was reportedly also killed in efforts to recover the two pilots.
Tension has risen between Russia and Turkey in the past week due to the downed jet, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced economic sanctions against Turkey.
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