Russian soldier killed in search for pilots of downed plane

Moscow: A Russian soldier was killed Tuesday during a failed operation to rescue two pilots whose jet was shot down by Turkey on the Syrian border, Moscow announced.

"A search and rescue operation to evacuate the Russian pilots from the crash site was launched with the help of two Mi-8 helicopters," military spokesman General Sergei Rudskoi said in televised comments.

"During the operation, one of the helicopters was damaged by gunfire and had to land. A soldier was killed."