Rubio: If threatened, US must 'respond and defend Turkey'

Turkey Shoots Down Russian Fighter Jet near Syrian

Russian fighter jet shot down near Turkey-Syria border. Putin Reacts To Downed Jet: 'Stabbed In The Back By The Accomplices Of Terrorism' warns of 'significant consequences'. NATO member Turkey says it shot down a Russian warplane flying from Syria that violated its airspace. Video shows the fighter jet on fire before it crashes into mountains. Turkey says the plane ignored repeated warnings, but Moscow denies that. Charlie D'Agata reports on this new twist in the air war against ISIS.

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN)One of the world's most volatile regions was roiled further Tuesday when a Russian warplane went down near the Turkish-Syria border. Turkey said it "responded" to a plane after the aircraft repeatedly violated its airspace and ignored several warnings.

NATO has called an extraordinary meeting later Tuesday to discuss the incident, a NATO official told CNN.

Turkey's semi-official Anadolu news agency quoted Turkish presidential sources in reporting that the Russian Su-24 was "hit within the framework of engagement rules" in Syria's Bayirbucak area, near the border with Turkey.

But Russia's state-run Sputnik news agency said that, "According to preliminary reports, the plane was gunned down from the ground."

Russian officials denied that the plane had violated Turkish airspace. Both pilots ejected from the plane, but their fate is unknown, Sputnik said.

Turkey released a purported image of the flight path of the plane showing that it had violated Turkish airspace. Turkey said it issued 10 warnings to the aircraft before responding "within engagement rules" near the Turkey-Syria border.

But the Russian Defense Ministry said "objective monitoring confirmed" the plane was not in Turkish airspace.

"The Su-24 bomber jet was in Syrian airspace at the altitude 6,000 meters, the Russian Defense Ministry said," according to Sputnik. "The pilots were reportedly able to parachute out of the jet before it crashed."

A U.S. defense official told CNN Turkey informed Washington that it had shot down a Russian military aircraft near the Syrian border after an airspace violation. U.S. forces were not involved in the incident, the official added.

Syria has been embroiled for four and a half years in a brutal civil war that has killed hundreds thousands of people, sent millions fleeing, and laid waste to entire cities.

Turkey vehemently opposes the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Russia is propping up the Assad regime.

Skirmishes between Turks and Syrians have taken place in the past, with Turkish officials accusing Syrian planes of violating Turkish air space.

Can i please shoot the bastards?