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Two years after jet crisis, do Russians really trust Turkey?

Russians appear to have forgiven Turkey for its jaw-dropping decision two years ago to shoot down a Russian jet, but forgetting is another matter.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on next to European Council President Donald Tusk and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. — REUTERS/Carlos Barria

On Dec. 1, Russia finally lifted its ban on imports of Turkish tomatoes completely. This was one of the last sanctions against Turkey that Moscow introduced shortly after Turkey downed a Russian jet Nov. 24, 2015. Two years ago, the incident put Russian-Turkish relations on the brink of collapse, risking a war between the two nations.

Russians were furious with Turkey’s actions. Anti-Turkish demonstrations took place in front of the Turkish Embassy in Moscow and Turkish consulates in Kazan, Stavropol and St. Petersburg. Russian social networks were flooded with harsh criticism of Turkey.

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