Russian President Vladimir Putin invited British experts to examine the black box from the Su-24 bomber downed by Turkey last month, the Kremlin's official website reported Wednesday.
Putin made the offer during a phone conversation with British Prime Minister David Cameron when he called to offer Putin his condolences after the incident, which resulted in the death of the plane's pilot.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu showed the black box to Putin at a meeting on Tuesday. The president requested that it remain closed until foreign experts arrive to participate in an investigation into the downing.
Putin said that no matter what the outcome of the investigation, "Russia's attitude to what the Turkish authorities did is not going to change."
The black box was discovered by Syrian special forces at the site of the crash, Shoigu told Putin at the meeting.
However, on the same day as the meeting between Shoigu and Putin, the NTV television channel reported that the black box had already been opened and examined by Russian experts, the state-run newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.