Russia says Turkey warned in advance about Syria flights ban

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia says that Turkey gave it advance notice before moving to bar Russian planes from flying to Syria over its territory. Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Turkey had asked Russia more than a month ago not to send Syria-bound planes over its territory. She added that “the reasons for that were clear to us.” Zakharova made the comment when asked about the Turkey’s announcement over the weekend that it had halted Russian flights to Turkey over its territory from the start of this month. Russia and Turkey have backed the opposite sides in Syria’s civil war with Moscow shoring up President Bashar Assad’s government and Turkey backing the opposition.