Ankara's claims might reflect a wish to influence the balance of power at the Geneva talks, which are aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis.
If the talks in Switzerland are successful, this would mean that Erdogan's foreign policy has failed, political scientist Yuri Pochta told Radio Sputnik. "Turkey's aspirations to take Syria and Iraq under its control could end in nothing, because Russia has made every effort to resolve the Syrian conflict."
In addition, by blaming Russia for what it did not do, Turkish authorities might also be trying to show that they are willing to protect the Syrian Turkmen. These are Syrians of Turkic heritage and identity, who have been fighting against Damascus-led forces.
In November, a Syrian Turkmen rebel boasted that he killed the pilot of the Russian Su-24 bomber, which was on an anti-Daesh mission in northern Syria when a Turkish fighter jet shot it down.
Ankara's claims might also be an attempt to force the Russian president to talk to Erdogan. "Apparently, Erdogan has been unable to meet Putin, so he is using every opportunity," Russian lawmaker Leonid Kalashnikov told RIA Novosti, adding that these efforts are "naïve."
"Erdogan needs a meeting with Putin to save his face, to show that he is an equal partner," Pochta explained. "Erdogan has previously used this strategy: he is blackmailing the European Union, he is blackmailing the United States, he is blackmailing Russia at a time when he has no real resources for military and political contacts."
