Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the downing of the Russian aircraft Il-20 was a chain of tragic circumstances, as well as offered condolences to the relatives of those killed in the crash.
"When people die, especially in such tragic circumstances, this is always a tragedy, a tragedy for us all, for the whole country and for the families of our dead friends," he stressed. "In this connection, I certainly offer my condolences to the relatives of those who got killed in the crash," Putin noted.
According to him, the Il-20 tragedy can't be compared with the Russian plane downed by Turkish military, because it wasn't made deliberately. "As for comparison with the well-known events (the attack on a Russian plane), when a Turkish fighter jet shot down our plane, it was a different situation. This time it looks like a string of tragic circumstances," he said.
The Russian president stressed that the Russian side is set to thoroughly investigate the case. "Most certainly, we have to sort the case out most seriously. And our attitude to the tragedy is outlined in the Russian Defense Ministry's statement," Putin noted, adding he approved it.
