Strolling towards 3rd World War: Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov shot dead in Ankara

An unnamed gunman gestures after
shooting the Russian Ambassador to Turkey
, Andrei Karlov, at a photo gallery in Ankara,
Turkey, Monday, Dec. 19, 2016. Turkish
police shot and killed the gunman, Turkish
station NTV reported. Russia's ambassador
to Turkey has died after being shot in Ankara
, according to Russian Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman. #APPhoto by Burhan Ozbilici

A Turkish policeman has shot dead Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, apparently in protest at Russia's involvement in Aleppo.

Several other people were reportedly also injured in the attack, a day after protests in Turkey over Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The killer, who was in civilian clothes, opened fire at point blank range as Mr Karlov made a speech.

He is said to have died in a shootout with police soon afterwards.

Mr Karlov was rushed to hospital, reports said, but his death was later confirmed by the Russian foreign ministry.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about the attack, Mr Erdogan's office said.