SF expresses condolences to Karlov’s family and admires his bravery.
An outrageous international relations incident took place in Ankara on December 19th. The Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was assassinated by Mevlut Mert Altintas, a Turkish police officer.
The death of Karlov complicates the international situation and changes the expected negotiated settlement for the Middle East.
Among a number of political and security questions, three main pointed questions over the incident must be answered.
Why were there no adequate security measures by Russian security services, especially amid constant provocations, rallies and threats against the Russian diplomatic staff in Ankara?
Furthermore, Vladimir Putin said that “considering the specific developments there”, it was possible to arrange, with a host state, for tightened security.
Why were there no adequate security measures by Turkish security services?
After shooting Karlov, the attacker had about a minute to chant slogans without interference or even the appearance of Turkish security personnel or policemen.
Altintas did not fire at other people and had been at the scene of the crime until he was liquidated with massive fire. When police and security services want to investigate a crime, especially a much-publicized crime, they always seek to capture a perpetrator alive by any means. But Altintas received over 20 bullets and was killed.
Erodgan’s words that the attacker was killed because he had a bomb aroused a special perplexity because the whole world saw a video in which Altintas was not able to have any bomb bigger than a grenade under his unbuttoned suit.
Why did Turkish security services allow the attacker to remain at the scene of the crime with other people for a long time?
The situation looked as if he did all that was needed and was waiting for arrest.
Why was Altintas liquidated?
Who would have been interested in this?
Dead men tell no tales. Or may be he believed he would just be arrested, quietly released and well rewarded for his work. It would not be the first time assassins have been killed by those that hired them.
The answer to Question #1 is that the site was a Turkish venue and therefore the responsibility of Turkish security. Russian security responsibility ends at the embassy/consulate gates in the case of a normal non-failed state with whom there is friendly or even civil relations.
The Ambassador’s country is allowed to provide special security, in addition to that of the host country, I believe. This was requested by Putin, (the Zaslon) but refused by Erdoggone, as was made clear in the video.
In that case the Russian ambassador should not have set foot outside the guarded Russian Embassy compound. Erdogan carries his own bodyguards with him wherever he goes; in fact his goons have even been filmed beating up CIVILIAN PROTESTORS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
Thanks for clarifying, but if so, then the fault still lies with Erdogon and the Turks, rather than Russian security.
As Pepe Escobar’s Dec 20th, 2016 column (“Who profits from Turkey’s ‘Sarajevo moment?”) hint’s at, my bet is the NATO-GCC crowd, been reading him for decades and his column is generally spot on.
Turkstream was getting too close and had to be foiled. It’s Always about oil and gas in the Middle East. All other explanations are BS.
Syria, too. Many schemes were foiled.
I bet that never these questions will be answer like never fount out when Russians be murdered in Donbass too
Good on you South front, you’re the only media outlet to date to point out the bleeding obvious. This was a well coordinated assassination, involving all of the security personal present at the time and not a lone wolf attack. What is even more intriguing is the fact the Russians haven’t made a song and dance about it either.
“What is even more intriguing is the fact the Russians haven’t made a song and dance about it either.”
That’s probably because the stupid Putin-Lavrov duo are still hoping to make Erdoganist Turkey – the main jihadi supporter now, along with Saudi Arabia – a Part Of Their Grand Eurasian Axis (!) With Iran Any Day Now. What a pathetic delusion!
Russia pay and will pay very hard in future the friendship with Turkey.The same time when ambassador murdered the traitor Lavrov meet with Davucoglou.Russia is like Kronos in Greek mythology who eats his children
Weirdest thing is the footage – an assassination recorded in such high definition video – the video stills/photo’s are crystal clear images – who was recording without even flinching during this?
It was a staged assassination by Erdogan’s security service, in “revenge” for the Russian role in the jihadi defeat at Aleppo.
This looks to me like a turkish MIT assassination. They didn’t even take the killer into custody for interrogation, they just killed or silenced him right there on the spot so he could not talk. This has an Erdogan stamp all over it.
Why was there no visible blood? Or discharged shells on the floor? This was certainly not a “lone nut” assassination. Cui bono? I hope SF deals w/ the other 12/19/16 assassination of the Russian diplomat Polshikov, as well.
My question to the russians is why is the ambasador in charge of talking to art events in a middle of a war and having in mind the lack of security arangements, a day before trilateral meetings of historic character? Couldn’t they send some other representative? It goes the same for the downed airplanes. The SU-24 downed by the turks was operating without air cover. The S 400 system came in place after the incident. Why not before? Was this because of lack of money or lack of safety pocedures in place? Americans would be a lot more cautious in this situation. In my opinion russians need to step up their safety procedures and protect better their assets.
Exactly. Thank you again SouthFront
SIA & Co took out Russian airliners, fighter jets, ambassador, soldiers, doctors and even Putin’s long time chauffeur without any reprisals. Of course they’ll continue as there are no repercussions. However, if the American special forces knew that it was game over if they were captured. The American ambassadors knew that there was a target on their heads. The US flying public was aware that they might be blown out of the sky at any moment, then the game would change. Mr PUTIN! You decide ………
https://youtu.be/DMHQvtnwRHY https://youtu.be/AnefGPHty8c
Police investigation will give us some real data, clues. But analysis can be done already. Lone wolf does not exist, not in nature, not among humans. Terrorism is a special kind of war. War is clash of wills, interests with naked force as a chief mode of action. Any terrorist act committed, even by 7 year old girl has someone who planned it – strategist, someone who executed it – usually a team with a sharp needle, and most importantly someone who made the decision. Every terrorist act, as a part of war, makes no sense if there is no message attached. Every day earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, fires or man made disasters train wrecks, airplane catastrophes kill thousands and yet carry no political message. Assassination of an ambassador is meaningless if there is no message. And message is showing us who did it. The level of security surrounding Russian ambassador in Turkey in December of 2016. is (expected to be) so high, that only specially trained assassin could breach it. Who made the decision to assassinate Mr Karlov? Analysis shows it was threat and revenge and an attempt on advice. Threat pointed: It could have been you, Mr Erdogan, we have men ready to kill when activated, who are very close to you. You will never know who of your guards is ready to assassinate you. Revenge: Mr Putin, you have crossed the boundaries, entered the territory that is outside of your jurisdiction. We are supposed to have command over Turkey, we would have regained control and toppled Mr Erdogan in military coup if it wasn’t for your intervention. You were successful, you won, we lost. It hurts. But it was a battle, we fight on, the war goes on. Advice: Imagine the situation if the target of assassination was Mr Erdogan. If nothing else helps we are ready to kill him. It may cause mayhem, chaos. We haven’t yet. We should talk. Now, who could send this kind of message? And how would you reply?
Yes, but the level of security was low. This points to collusion amongst the security people, most likely following directions from someone high in the gov’t: Erdoggone? Could Erdo be playing a double game, not committed to an alliance w/either side? I am writing this after the Russian plane crash, so at this point-2 assassinations & a massacre- it looks like the target is Russia.
It was very stupid on Russia’s side not to provide personal Russian security details to ambassador Karlov! Given the fact that Turkey has become the epicenter of the terrorists fighting In Syria and for the fact that Turkey has millions of jihadist sympathizers it was totally incomprehensible and even criminal that ambassador Karlov would not be given personal Russian security unit that protects him. Right now, Russia should provide trained security specialists to all its delegations in the Middle East and in the muslim world.