Moscow-Ankara Ties Unaffected by Murder of Russian Ambassador Karlov, Cavusoglu Says - Tasnim News Agency

(Tasnim) – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu emphasized that the assassination was a terrorist act and expressed solidarity with Russia.

The organizers of the assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov have failed to ruin the friendship between the two countries, Mevlut Cavusoglu said, Sputnik reported.

"Five years have passed since the death of Ambassador Andrei Karlov as a result of a treacherous assassination. The attack on Ambassador Karlov was an attack on Turkish-Russian friendship. However, Turkey and Russia did not fall into this trap, so those who wanted to harm the Turkish-Russian friendship were disappointed," Cavusoglu said.

Karlov was shot dead in Ankara on 19 December 2016, at the opening of the photo exhibition "Russia from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka through the eyes of a traveler."

According to Turkish authorities, the attack was carried out by police officer Mevlut Mert Altintas, who was gunned down by security forces. Charges were brought against 28 suspects, including opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, who denied all accusations.

In March of this year, an Ankara court sentenced five suspects to life in prison, another eight suspects got between over three and 15 years in prison.