Turkey scrambles fighter jets to intercept Russian aircraft

Turkey scrambled eight F-16 fighter jets to intercept a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea coast on Monday when the Russian military plane began flying parallel to Turkish airspace, the Turkish military announced on Tuesday.
The incident took place following mounting tension between Russia and Ukraine on the strategic Crimean peninsula in Ukraine's southeast. European Union Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met with Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Korsunsky in Ankara on Tuesday to discuss the recent developments in Crimea and Ukraine.
Çavuşoğlu also welcomed Russia's decision to pull back its more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's border. He said Russia's decision was a “positive step” and called on Moscow to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had ordered tens of thousands of Russian troops -- 150,000 troops, hundreds of tanks and dozens of aircraft -- participating in military exercises in western Russia to return to their bases.
“The situation in Ukraine is the European Union and Russia trying to get Ukraine under their control, compelling Ukraine to choose a side. I think it is unfair to want Ukraine to do this [choose a side]. Ukraine needs the West. And everyone knows it also needs Russia's gas and oil,” Çavuşoğlu said during the meeting with Korsunsky, stressing that Turkey wants Ukraine's territorial integrity to be preserved.
Korsunsky said Russia's troop pullback should also include the troops in Crimea.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey also said Ukraine is waiting for political and economic support from Turkey. Korsunsky appealed to Turkey in remarks on Monday to “provide political, economic and, if necessary, military assistance” to his country.
The Russian Parliament granted Putin the authorization to invade Ukraine on Saturday. Russia also placed its troops around Crimea's ferry ports, military bases and border posts on Saturday. Troops loyal to Moscow fired warning shots to ward off protesting Ukrainian soldiers.
The Ukrainian ambassador also spoke about a referendum on the future of the peninsula that is likely to be held in Crimea at the end of March. Korsunsky said the referendum is “illegal,” adding that Ukraine is ready to provide aid to the people of Crimea but that this will happen after Russia withdraws its troops from the peninsula.
Crimea is of importance to Turkey due to the presence of Crimean Tatars on the peninsula. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu paid an unscheduled visit to Kiev on Friday and Saturday to discuss the crisis with top officials of Ukraine's new government. Turkey has said Ukraine's territorial integrity should be protected, a sign of its opposition to the secession of Crimea, but has refrained from directly confronting Moscow, calling instead for dialogue for a resolution to the crisis.
President Abdullah Gül, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu held a meeting on Monday evening to discuss the developments in Crimea and Ukraine. The one-and-a-half-hour meeting was closed to the press.

Sumber : Todayzaman