AKIPRESS.COM - Kazakhstani diplomats have helped the Turkish diplomats to write an apology letter to Russia on behalf of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan for downing Russian Su-24 jet, Hurriyet news agency reported August 9 citing high-ranking diplomatic and security sources who asked not to be named.

According to the report, the apology letter was written in Russian language.

İbrahim Kalın, the spokesman for Erdoğan, working together with Russian translators and diplomats from the Kazakh Embassy in Ankara managed to find the Russian word of “izvinite” – which is stronger than saying “sorry,” but not as strong as “apology.”

Erdoğan departed for Russia on August 9 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg in his first trip abroad since the failed coup attempt of July 15. It will also be Erdoğan’s first visit to Russia after the crisis that began with the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet by Turkish F-16s.

Turkey stated the plane had crossed into its airspace, Russia disputed this.