Russian jet shot down: Video shows aircraft plummeting towards ground

Russian authorities have confirmed the jet was theirs, but denied it was in Turkish airspace

Video has emerged of the final moments of a Russian plane shot down by Turkish jets.

The footage appears to show an aircraft bursting into flames as it plummets towards the ground in the Hatay province, near the Syrian border.

It is believed to have been an SU-24 jet, operated by both Syrian and Russian forces in the area, but both forces have confirmed the plane was Russian.

Turkey’s Dogan news agency claimed the pilot was given as many as 10 warnings as it entered the country’s territory before it was brought down by two Turkish F16 jets at an altitude of 6,000m.

In a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defence, officials claimed the aircraft remained “exclusively” within Syrian territory for the duration of its flight.

There were also reports Russian officials had implied the plane was brought down by ground fire, rather than air fire.

Another video shared on social media account purported to show the two pilots ejecting from the aircraft. While neither pilot’s location has been officially confirmed, Turkish reports claim of the pilots has been captured by Syrian rebels as Turkmen search for the other.