President Vladimir Putin on Monday expressed condolences and offered Russian aid to Turkey and Syria after the earthquake that killed hundreds of people in both countries, the Kremlin said.
“We share the sadness and the pain of those who lost their loved ones and we hope for a speedy recovery for all the injured, and are ready to provide the assistance needed to overcome the impact of this natural disaster,” Putin said in a message to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.
In a separate message to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin asked him to “convey words of sincere sympathy and support” to the families of the victims and said Russia was “ready to provide required assistance”.
Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said separately he had spoken with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar by telephone and offered condolences and support.
Shoigu “offered to provide all necessary assistance through the military department to his Turkish colleague in the aftermath of the earthquake, including medical assistance to the victims,” the ministry said in a statement.
