Published on 03:26 PM, November 24, 2015

Downing of Russia jet 'stab in the back' – Putin

Turkey says the aircraft was warned three times before it was shot down. Photo: Reuters

- Turkey says its forces have shot down a plane on the border with Syria

- Russia says an Su-24 crashed on Syrian territory after being hit by fire from the ground

- Turkey says the plane violated its airspace – an accusation Russia denies

- President Vladimir Putin calls it 'a stab in the back by the accomplices of terrorists'

- Turkey is a member of the Nato alliance, which has said it is ready to defend Turkey if Russia violated its airspace

Russian President Vladimir Putin has bitterly condemned the downing of a Russian warplane on the Turkish-Syrian border.

He described it as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists".

Turkey says its jets shot at the plane after warning that it was violating Turkish airspace. But Moscow says it never strayed from Syrian airspace.

Nato is to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss what has happened.

The two pilots ejected as their burning aircraft plunged into a Syrian hillside. Video footage has shown what appears to be the dead body of one of the flyers, surrounded by armed rebels.

President Putin said the Su-24 was hit by air-to-air missiles fired by Turkish F-16s while it was flying over Syrian territory.

But Turkish military officials said the plane was engaged after being warned that it was violating Turkish airspace.