UN condemns assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey

The UN Security Council on Monday condemned "in the strongest terms" the assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, calling it a "terrorist attack."

Earlier on Monday, Karlov, who served as Russian ambassador to Turkey since 2013, was shot dead by a gunman when he spoke at the opening of an art exhibition in Ankara.

"The members of the Security Council expressed their deep condolences to the family of the Ambassador and the Government of the Russian Federation," said the 15-nation council in a press statement.

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the assassination, saying it was a "senseless" act of terror.

The assassination came one day before Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu heads to Moscow for talks on Syrian with his Russian and Iranian counterparts.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed of attack, and is planning a consultation with the foreign ministry and the country's security services.

(APD)