Russian foreign exchange students studying in Turkey will be returned to Russia as soon as possible, Russia's Education and Sciences Ministry's press service said Tuesday. "All of the students located in the Turkish Republic on exchange programs will be returned to Russia in the shortest time possible," a statement from the ministry reads. The statement explained that on November 27 the letters were sent to higher education institutions, stating the need to suspend legal documents with the Turkish side, canceling the scheduled trips of Russian teachers and students. Russia's Education Ministry has prepared a draft scheme on suspending or terminating existing science and technology agreements with Turkey, the ministry said. "The Russian Education Ministry has drafted a decree terminating cooperation in science and technology with Turkey," the statement said. Russian educational, scientific and youth-policy cooperation with Turkey is also under review, according to the ministry. The move comes amid strained Russian-Turkey relations after a Russian Su-24 bomber crashed over Syrian territory after being hit by an air-to-air missile fired from a Turkish F-16 fighter on November 24. Ankara claimed that it downed the Su-24 because it had violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command confirmed that the Russian bomber never crossed into Turkish airspace. In the wake of the incident, Russia introduced a set of restrictions against Turkey, while Ankara has refused to apologize, saying it "has right" to respond to what it called
