Turkey says Russian warplane violated its airspace on way to Syria

Russian warplane violated Turkish airspace near the Syrian border, prompting Ankara to scramble two F-16 jets to intercept it and summon Moscow's ambassador in protest, the foreign ministry said on Monday, according to Reuters.

Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO, said the Russian jet entered Turkish airspace south of the Hatay region on Saturday.

"(It) exited Turkish airspace into Syria after it was intercepted by two F-16s from the Turkish Air Force, which were conducting patrols in the region," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

President Tayyip Erdogan has criticized Russia's air strikes in Syria, launched last week, as a "grave mistake". Moscow says it aims to weaken Islamic State but Western powers see them as support for President Bashar al-Assad.

"Assad has committed state terrorism, and unfortunately you find Russia and Iran defending (him)," Erdogan was quoted by the Hurriyet newspaper as telling a crowd of supporters in Strasbourg, France, late on Sunday.

"Those countries that collaborate with the regime will account for it in history," he said.