Putin: Downing of Warplane "A Stab in the Back"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Turkey of being accomplices of terrorism for shooting down a Russian warplane in Syria, warning of "very serious consequences" for relations.

During the talks with Jordanian King Abdullah in Sochi, Putin said "we won't allow such crimes to take place."

He added "We received a stab in the back from accomplices of terrorism."

Putin noted the Russian Su-24 warplane was attacked 1 km from the border with Turkey and crashed 4 km away, saying "the Russian pilots and the warplane in no way threatened Turkey."

Turkey said two F-16 jets shot down a Russian warplane that violated its airspace near the border with northwestern Syria earlier on Tuesday, marking the first direct clash between foreign powers embroiled in Syria's civil war.

Russia's Defense Ministry denied the plane had ever crossed the border and said it may have been hit by ground fire.

Turkey's action is the first time in decades that a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has downed a Russian military aircraft.

Ambassadors of the 28 NATO member states will soon meet in Brussels at Turkey's request to discuss the incident.