There is yet more Russian military build up in Syria in response to the Su-24 jet downing by Turkey.
In addition to announcing plans to send S-400 anti-aircraft systems to Syria's Latakia province, Moscow has also declared this morning that it is sending the Moskva guided missile cruiser to Syria, in the wake of yesterday's downing by Turkey of a Russian Su-24 jet.
Russia is prepared to create a "single General Staff" to fight the Islamic State group in Syria, that could include France, the United States and even Turkey, Russia's ambassador to France has told the Europe 1 radio station, according to pro-Kremlin news site RIA Novosti.
Alexander Orlov said that such a coalition could take "various forms."
"The first is coordination, and that is necessary, but we are ready to go further, and to plan attacks together on IS positions and create, to this end, a single General Staff with the participation of France, the United States, and all countries who are prepared to participate in the coalition," Orlov said.
Russia is to send its S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft weapon system to the Hmeymim airbase in Syria's Latakia province, government daily Rossiskaya Gazeta is reporting this morning.
The S-400 is Russia's latest generation anti-aircraft system and is an upgraded version of the S-300. It can operate using more than four types of surface-to-air missile.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that his country does not want "escalation" after the downing of the Russian Su-24 jet in Syria yesterday, AFP have just reported.
From our news desk:
Russia's ambassador to France has said a Russian pilot missing in Syria after his plane was shot down by a Turkish jet on November 24 has been recovered and sent to a Russian military base in Syria.
Ambassador Aleksandr Orlov told Europe 1 radio on November 25 that the pilot managed to evade capture by rebels fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and was "picked up by the Syrian Army."
Orlov did not comment on the pilot's identity or health.
One Russian pilot was killed on November 24 after a Russian Su-24 warplane was shot down by a Turkish Air Force jet along the border with Syria. Ankara maintains the Russian jet violated Turkish airspace and ignored 10 warnings.
Moscow says the jet was in Syrian airspace and has accused Turkey of protecting terrorists by shooting down the jet.
The Su-24 was part of an ongoing Russian air campaign that Moscow says is targeting Islamic State militants. The United States and other countries say Moscow's air strikes are mostly targeting anti-Assad rebels and are aimed at propping up his government.
That concludes our live-blogging of Islamic State for Tuesday, November 24. Check back here tomorrow morning for more of our continuing coverage.
Turkey's Erdogan Defends Right To Protect Borders
President Tayyip Erdogan has defended Turkey's right to protect its borders after the Turkish military shot down a Russian warplane on the Syrian border.
Turkey says it shot down the Russian Su-24 jet on November 24 because it violated Turkish airspace, but Moscow claims the plane never strayed from Syrian territory.
"Despite being warned 10 times in five minutes because it was coming toward our border, it insisted on continuing its violation,” Erdogan said on November 24 at the presidential palace in Ankara.
"The reason why worse incidents have not taken place in the past regarding Syria is the cool-headedness of Turkey,” he added. “Nobody should doubt that we made our best efforts to avoid this latest incident.”
The incident was at least the third time that Russian jets have allegedly entered Turkish airspace in recent months.