Russian envoy in Ankara shot dead

The Russian ambassador to Ankara has been killed in a gun attack at an art gallery in the Turkish capital, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Moscow qualified the killing of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov as a terrorist attack.

"We qualify the events as a terrorist attack, we stay in contact with Turkish officials who have pledged that a through all-round investigation will be carried out. The attackers will be punished. Today this issue will be brought up at the UN Security Council,"  TASS quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

"This issue will be immediately raised today with the members of the UN Security Council," Zakharova said. "There is no place for terrorism and we will be resolutely fighting against it."

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21:02

Andrey Karlov, Russian ambassador to Turkey, has come under an armed attack in Ankara, the Hurriyet newspaper reports.

The attack was committed at the Contemporary Art Center in Ankara during an art exhibition.

Karlov was delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of a photo exhibit when an armed assailant opened fire on him.

The envoy was seriously wounded and was taken to hospital immediately.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has already arrived in the Center, NTV reports.  NTV television says police have shot and killed the gunman who attacked the Russian ambassador.

The Russian foreign ministry said it was in contact with Ankara over the events, RIA Novosti reported.