Man linked to 2015 murder of Russian Su-24 pilot in Syria goes free from Turkish prison

Ankara:Turkish national Alparslan Celik, who initially claimed responsibility for the 2015 murder of Russian Su-24 pilot Oleg Peshkov in Syria, has gone free after serving five years in prison for illegal arms possession, his lawyer told Sputnik.

"Celik has been released after serving a five-year term," Murat Ustundag said.A Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber in Syria on November 24, 2015. Peshkov managed to eject but was subsequently killed by ground fire from militants.

Immediately after the incident, Celik bragged that he had killed the Russian pilot. Following the arrest, he denied his guilt, claiming he had ordered his subordinate militants not to shoot at Peshkov during the ejection.

In May 2017, a Turkish court sentenced him to five years in prison for illegal arms possession, but did not consider his involvement in Peshkov’s murder.(SPUTNIK)