Russian specialists were involved in the dropping of the Turkish jet last week, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.

Russian specialists were involved in the dropping of the Turkish jet last week, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.

Citing Middle Eastern diplomatic sources, the Times reported that the decision to down the Turkish jet was intended to signal a warning to NATO to stay out of the conflict raging in Syria for over a year.

The paper said that Russia has supplied Syria with advanced anti-aircraft missile systems three years ago, adding it was believed that some Russian specialists are still stationed at the missile battery control centers, where they had trained the Syrian forces to use the missiles.

“We would not be surprised if these Russian experts, if they didn’t push the button, at least were beside the Syrian officers who did it,” an Israeli air force source told the British paper.
Syrian anti-aircraft guns downed a Turkish jet as it violated Damascus’ airspace on June 22.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said the plane had briefly entered Syrian airspace on June 22 as it approached land after patrolling the eastern Mediterranean.
Arinc said the jet was warned by Turkish radar controllers and immediately left and turned again out to sea, adding it then made another approach to land when it was shot down.

"According to the data in our hands, it points to our plane being shot by a laser or heat-guided surface-to-air missile. The fact our plane was not given an early radar warning, suggests it was not a radar-guided missile," said Arinc.

Ankara requested a meeting of NATO's North Atlantic Council to discuss the incident, which it has branded an "act of aggression". Damascus said it shot the aircraft down in self-defense after it strayed into Syrian airspace.
Following the meeting, NATO voiced support to Turkey.