Putin says Russians in Turkey 'may be facing serious danger'

Russian nationals staying in Turkey may be facing serious danger, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, a day after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 fighter jet on its border with Syria due to an alleged airspace violation.

"After yesterday's event, we cannot rule out other incidents and if they happen, we will have to respond somehow. Our citizens in Turkey could, certainly, be in serious danger," Putin was quoted as saying by the TASS News Agency, while also accusing Turkey's government of trying to Islamicize the country.

Putin said he supported Foreign Ministry recommendations urging Russians not to visit Turkey.

"After such tragic events as the downing of our plane and the pilot's [Oleg Peshkov] death, this is a forced measure and the Foreign Ministry is right to warn our nationals of the dangers," Putin said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Nov. 24, hours after the downing of the Russian jet by Turkish warplanes, that he recommended that Russians traveling to Turkey suspend their plans. 

"The critical mass of terrorist incidents on Turkish soil, according to our estimates, is no less of a threat than in Egypt," Lavrov said in televised comments on Nov. 24. 

"For this reason of course we do not recommend that our citizens travel to Turkey for tourism or any other reason," Lavrov said, speaking from Sochi.

Putin said the current leadership of Turkey purposefully supported the country's Islamization.

"The problem is not in the tragedy we faced yesterday, the problem is much deeper," the Putin told reporters. "We see, and not only we - I assure you that the entire world sees it - that the current leadership of Turkey has been for a number of years pursuing a purposeful policy...