Downing of Warplane a ‘Planned Provocation': Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane it said had strayed into its territory was a "planned provocation," NBC News reported. 

"We have serious doubts it was an unplanned act. It looks like pre-planned action," Lavrov said.

He said the Kremlin had no intention "to go to war with Turkey" and said that "our attitude to the Turkish people hasn't changed." But he warned that Moscow would reassess its relations with Ankara after the incident.

Russia has been bombing militants trying to overthrow Syria's President Bashar Assad, a key Russian ally.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Tuesday saying "we have no intentions whatsoever to escalate the situation. Our contacts with the Russian authorities are ongoing to this end."

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