One Russian pilot killed, other returned to Russia airbase in Syria

One of two pilots aboard a Russian warplane shot down by Turkey on Nov. 24 was killed by gunfire while parachuting from the burning plane. Meanwhile, the other pilot was picked up by the Syrian Army and returned to Russia's airbase in Syria, both Russian military and Russia's ambassador to France have confirmed.

Military spokesman General Sergei Rudskoi said a Russian soldier had also been killed in a failed bid to rescue the pilots, whose Su-24 plane crashed in Syrian territory.
 
Rudskoi said Russia would cease all military contact with Turkey, as international concerns grow that the incident could snowball into a major conflict.
 
The general said the Su-24 "fell in Syrian territory, four kilometres (2.5 miles) from the border".
 
"The crew ejected," the general said. "According to preliminary information, one of the pilots died after being fired upon from the ground."  

Although the fate of the second pilot was not immediately known, Russian ambassador to France was quoted by Reuters saying the second pilot was picked up by the Syrian Army. 

Russian and Syrian special forces have freed the second pilot of a Russian warplane shot down by Turkey and he is now at a Russian air base in Syria, the defence minister said on Nov. 25.

The operation ended successfully. The second pilot has been brought to our base. He is alive and well," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
 
"I would like to thank all our guys who worked at great risk all night and finished this job at around 3:40 am," Shoigu said in televised comments.
 
President Vladimir Putin later confirmed the second pilot was "saved" and "he and the other participants.. including in the rescue operation will be awarded state...