Body of Russia's ambassador to Turkey returns home

  • 8 years ago
A mother and daughter bring home a son and husband; the assassinated Russian ambassador to Turkey, Sergei Karlov, whose body is back in Moscow.

Marina and Maria Karlov, having travelled back from Turkey with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov were joined at the airport by the Turkish and Russian prime ministers and Vladimir Putin, taking a break from their summit.

According to the Turkish foreign ministry American Secretary of State John Kerry has been told that Turkey believes followers of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, exiled in America, were behind the assassination. He is already accused by Ankara of being behind the failed July coup against the government.

“I ask security services to take additional measures to ensure security inside Russia and outside it, to enhance the safety of Russian foreign missions and their staff. I ask you to step up work with secret services of other states through partner channels,” said President Vladimir Putin.

Karlov had been in Ankara for three years and had been key in repairing relations with Moscow after the Turks shot down a Russian fighter plane in the summer.

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