Russian Ambassador To Turkey Assassinated

[Kromovaracun]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-turkey-russia-diplomat-idUKKBN1481T6

Andrei Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, has been killed in Ankara at an art exhibition on Turkish perceptions of Russia.

Mr. Karlov was shot on camera by a gunman who began shouting "Don't forget Aleppo" and "God is great". Reuters is one of the few outlets to have respectfully omitted the video at time of posting, but it has gained considerable traffic elsewhere.

What will be the consequences? Is this the 21st Century's Franz Ferdinand or will this redouble the two government's efforts upon a common enemy?

[naomi24]

Oh good grief!

[Kromovaracun]

Turkish press are claiming the gunman was a serving police officer. He has not yet been named.

[Bazile]

Do the Russians get on with Turkey ?

[-Talbot-]

It will be interesting how the two most dangerous men on the earth deal with this.

[Peter Pedant]

remember during the week end -

the syrian MP who said to the Beeb hack - "you in the west have insisted they are taken to Idlib whereas we wanted to kill them all
and then they will go onto your country . Enjoy"

it will be an interesting chrissie

[Kromovaracun]

I shouldn't think Mr. Karlov's family will find it too interesting, Peter.

[Gromit]

The don't really have a common enemy.
Turkey is Islamist, and openly supports the Syrian rebels, and is fairly tolerant of IS.
Russia supports secularist Assad and hates Islamists after Chechen and Afghanistan.
Apparently the assassin is a Turkish Policeman.

Not a pivotal moment. The worry is that all the turmoil in Turkey has a destabilsing effect and the country disintergrates.

[youngmafbog]

//Not a pivotal moment//

Really? Pass round what you are smoking it must be good stuff.