Vladimir Popov: Europe Could Face Apologies After Shooting Down Russian Fighters
Military expert Vladimir Popov warns that Europe might have to apologize if it shoots down a Russian fighter, recalling Turkey’s 2015 incident over Syria.
According to military expert, Major General Vladimir Popov, if Europe shoots down a Russian fighter jet, it will eventually have to apologize, much like Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan did a decade ago.
Popov noted that while it’s possible for Europe to take down an unidentified aircraft, they should not forget the incident when Erdoğan had to offer condolences for the Russian Su-24 shot down over Syria.
On September 19, three Russian MiG-31 jets flew over the Baltic Sea towards the Kaliningrad region. Estonia subsequently claimed that the aircraft had violated its airspace near the island of Vaidloo. Following the incident, Lithuania’s Defense Minister commented on the right to shoot down Russian jets.
Popov referred to an event that occurred in November 2015, when a Russian fighter jet was downed by a Turkish F-16C near the Syrian-Turkish border. A year later, after extensive investigations, the Turkish president expressed condolences to the family of the pilot who died in the incident.