Russian Warplane Downed

Ukrainian forces have destroyed 278 Russian aircraft during eight months of fighting, more than twice as many as the Soviet Union lost in its 1979-89 military intervention in Afghanistan.

Israel's air force commander was set to lead a delegation to Moscow on Thursday to share the military's findings on the Syrian downing of a Russian warplane following Israeli air strikes.

Syria's former al-Qaida affiliate claimed responsibility Saturday for the downing of a Russian warplane in northern Syria, apparently using a surface-to-air missile.

A Russian pilot was killed Saturday in fighting with Islamists after his warplane was downed over northwest Syria, Russia's defence ministry and a monitor said.

Russia and Turkey have agreed to lift nearly all remaining trade restrictions imposed in the aftermath of Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane in 2015, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

The Kremlin sought to dampen Turkey's hopes for a swift restoration of normal relations on Tuesday, a day after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed regret over the downing of a Russian warplane last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is to hold his first phone call with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan since Ankara downed one of Moscow's warplanes in Syria, the Kremlin said today.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin marking Russia's national day, in their first contact since Ankara downed a Russian warplane in November, an official said today.

Turkey said Saturday that a Russian warplane has again violated its airspace despite several warnings - two months after Turkey's military shot down a Russian jet for crossing over its territory. The past incident seriously strained the previously close ties between the two countries, damaging a strong economic partnership.

Moscow on Wednesday called for Ankara to arrest a rebel it claims killed the pilot of the Russian jet downed by Turkey last month on the Syrian border.

Investigators in Moscow said on Monday they were unable to retrieve information from the damaged black box of a Russian warplane shot down by Turkey last month, data the Kremlin hoped would support its version of what happened.

The leader of Turkey's opposition pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP) will meet Wednesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow for talks aimed at reducing tensions after the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish forces, the party said today.

In the presence of foreign experts, Russian officials today opened the damaged black box of a warplane shot down by Turkey, promising a transparent probe into the incident.

Russia today began examining the black box of its warplane that was shot down over Turkey's border with Syria, again contesting Ankara's claim it had violated Turkish airspace.

A Russian destroyer in the Aegean Sea on Sunday opened fire to avoid a collision with a Turkish fishing boat, the defence ministry said, as a bitter dispute over the shooting down of a Russian warplane raged on.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed 278 Russian aircraft during eight months of fighting, more than twice as many as the Soviet Union lost in its 1979-89 military intervention in Afghanistan.

Israel's air force commander was set to lead a delegation to Moscow on Thursday to share the military's findings on the Syrian downing of a Russian warplane following Israeli air strikes.

Syria's former al-Qaida affiliate claimed responsibility Saturday for the downing of a Russian warplane in northern Syria, apparently using a surface-to-air missile.

A Russian pilot was killed Saturday in fighting with Islamists after his warplane was downed over northwest Syria, Russia's defence ministry and a monitor said.

Russia and Turkey have agreed to lift nearly all remaining trade restrictions imposed in the aftermath of Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane in 2015, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

The Kremlin sought to dampen Turkey's hopes for a swift restoration of normal relations on Tuesday, a day after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed regret over the downing of a Russian warplane last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is to hold his first phone call with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan since Ankara downed one of Moscow's warplanes in Syria, the Kremlin said today.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin marking Russia's national day, in their first contact since Ankara downed a Russian warplane in November, an official said today.

Turkey said Saturday that a Russian warplane has again violated its airspace despite several warnings - two months after Turkey's military shot down a Russian jet for crossing over its territory. The past incident seriously strained the previously close ties between the two countries, damaging a strong economic partnership.

Moscow on Wednesday called for Ankara to arrest a rebel it claims killed the pilot of the Russian jet downed by Turkey last month on the Syrian border.

Investigators in Moscow said on Monday they were unable to retrieve information from the damaged black box of a Russian warplane shot down by Turkey last month, data the Kremlin hoped would support its version of what happened.

The leader of Turkey's opposition pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP) will meet Wednesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow for talks aimed at reducing tensions after the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish forces, the party said today.

In the presence of foreign experts, Russian officials today opened the damaged black box of a warplane shot down by Turkey, promising a transparent probe into the incident.

Russia today began examining the black box of its warplane that was shot down over Turkey's border with Syria, again contesting Ankara's claim it had violated Turkish airspace.

A Russian destroyer in the Aegean Sea on Sunday opened fire to avoid a collision with a Turkish fishing boat, the defence ministry said, as a bitter dispute over the shooting down of a Russian warplane raged on.