Send to Kindle
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova (pictured) has designated the killing as a terrorist attack. File photo, EPA/BGNES
Andrey Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, has died from his wounds after an attack in Ankara, Russia's state-run TASS news agency reports.
The incident took place during a visit of Karlov to a photo gallery, for the opening of exhibition on cultural ties between the two countries titled Russia as Seen by Turks.
Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency has named the attacker as Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, a 22-year-old riot police officer. Other sources say he was dismissed from the police service or that he was not on duty at the time of the incident.
As the ambassador was speaking to unveil the exhibition, Altıntaş opened fire, reportedly declaring his actions a revenge for the developments in Aleppo. Reuters quotes witnesses as saying he had been standing behind the ambassador before the attack.
On video footage that captured the moment of the attack, he is heard shouting: "Don’t forget Aleppo! Don’t forget Syria! As long as our brothers are not safe, you will not enjoy safety”.
Other people attending the opening of the exhibition were also hurt.
Police say the officer was "neutralized" after the shooting.
He had been working with riot police since 2014.
The EU and the UN both condemned the attack. Russia's Foreign Ministry spokersperson Maria Zakharova described the killing as a "terrorist attack", while Turkish authorities called it "heinous".
Karlov, born in 1954, had been Moscow's Ambassador to Ankara since 2013.
The development comes as Foreign Ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran are set to meet in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Syria.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
As Russia prepares to mark Victory Day, commemorating the Soviet Union's triumph in World War II, festivities are set to be scaled back for the second consecutive year due to security threats linked to the war in Ukraine and recent acts of terrorism
Reports emerged last night of renewed Russian missile fire targeting the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, intensifying fears of escalating conflict in the region
In a recent interview with "Fakt", Polish President Andrzej Duda made a significant statement, expressing Poland's readiness to permit NATO allies to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory
Reports have emerged confirming the capture of Bohdanivka, a crucial village in eastern Ukraine, by Russian armed forces
A bus with Bulgarian registration veered off its path, resulting in 11 injuries, two of which are reported to be severe
CIA Director William Burns has issued a stark warning, asserting that Ukraine may face defeat in its war against Russia by the end of this year if the United States does not step up its military assistance
The European Parliament has approved the EU's inaugural directive aimed at regulating the employment rights of individuals working through online platforms
In recent years, Moldova has been faced with the challenge of reducing its dependency on Russian gas imports.
As the Hungarian forint experiences volatility, German investors are increasingly advocating for Hungary to adopt the euro, reaching the highest level of support in over a decade
In a statement underscoring growing concerns over national security, FBI Director Christopher Wray has declared that the popular social media app TikTok poses a significant risk to the United States
Eurostat data indicates that Greece (161.9%), Italy (137.3%), France (110.6%), Spain (107.7%), and Belgium reported the highest public debt-to-GDP ratios among EU member states by the conclusion of 2023
A damning report from the US State Department has unveiled a troubling reality of systematic racial and ethnic violence and discrimination against Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022
