Turkey summons Russian ambassador over missile launcher

Turkey summoned the Russian ambassador following a claim that a Russian navy ship's serviceman had a missile launcher and was passing through Istanbul at weekend.

Turkish media published photos that showed the Russian man on deck, with his launcher resting on one shoulder.

Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating since Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane last month, which it claimed was in its airspace.

The pilot of a Russian plane was killed.

Turkey has voiced outrage at the images from the alleged missile launcher. Mevlut Cavusoglu, Foreign Minister, called the incident "provocation".

The pictures showed the Russian serviceman on board the Caesar Kunikov as it passed through the Bosphorus strait.

According to Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News on Sunday, Cavusoglu said that the "showing off of a missile on a Russian Warship by a soldier or other things like anti-aircraft weapons is pure provocation."

Turkey is required to allow merchant ships through the Strait, which runs through Istanbul, during peaceful times. Access to military vessels belonging to the Black Sea countries is also permitted.