"One Russian pilot rescued; other savagely killed"

"One Russian pilot rescued; other savagely killed"

"According to the latest information he has been picked up by the Syrian Army and should be going back to the Russian Air Force base."

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday confirmed that the pilot was rescued "by Syrian and Russian forces" and was "alive, safe and sound."

On Tuesday, a group described as Turkmen rebels announced they had killed both pilots as they were parachuting after ejecting from the plane that crashed inside the Syrian territory.

On Tuesday in Moscow Russian General Staff official Sergei Rudskoy said that one serviceman was killed when an Mi-8 helicopter sent on a rescue operation came under fire and was damaged.

He also announced Russia had suspended all military contacts with Turkey, and introduced measures to increase security of Russian warplanes taking part in the Syria operation.

Rudskoy said that each strike groups will be escorted by fighter jets, and that air defense will be boosted with the deployment of the Moskva ("Moscow") guided missile cruiser off the coast of Latakia.

He once again rejected Turkey's claim that the Russian bomber had violated its airspace - and condemned the attack on the Russian plane "in Syrian airspace by a Turkish fighter jet" as “a severe violation of international law."

"We warn that every target posing a potential threat will be destroyed,” the general said during a briefing in Moscow.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia's commander-in-chief, i.e., President Vladimir Putin, ordered the air defense system S-400 Triumf deployed to the Hmeimim air base in Syria, TASS reported.