Based on the heat signature of the aircraft, the Russian jet that was shot down by Turkish forces Tuesday was found to be in Syrian airspace when it was fired upon, an anonymous United States official told Reuters.

Also, the BBC is reporting that the surviving Russian pilot — Captain Konstantin Murakhtin — (the other pilot in the SU-24 fighter jet was killed by Syrian rebel gunfire as he parachuted to the ground) is saying publicly (from Hmeymim airbase in Latakia, Syria) that there is “no way” the aircraft could’ve violated Turkey’s airspace.

He also said that he was given absolutely no warning (Turkey claims it warned the pilots at least 10 times during a five minute period).

Murakhtin was captured by rebels then later rescued by Russian special forces after a 12-hour operation.

A Russian marine was killed in a separate failed mission, according to the Wall Street Journal:

Russia said a marine was killed when one of its helicopters was fired upon during a search and rescue mission for the pilots of a Su-24 jet fighter downed by Turkish warplane earlier Tuesday.

“With the aim of evacuating the Russian pilots from where they landed, a search and rescue mission was carried out with the use of two Mi-8 helicopters,” Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudsky said during a Defense Ministry briefing.

“In the course of the operation, one of the helicopters sustained gunfire and completed an emergency landing in neutral territory. One marine was killed,” he said.

If you read the blog, you may recall this post from Tuesday, where Turkey’s letter to the United Nations explaining their reasons for firing upon the Russian aircraft was featured, and ripped apart:

This is Turkey’s coy “we did a bad?” statement to the United Nations (via WikiLeaks), after they shot a Russian fighter jet out of the sky, claiming it violated their airspace — even though even they admit it crashed in Syria (goddamn wind, right??).

No, wind. Just hot air. From Turkey. Which is strangely appropriate, on the eve of Thanksgiving.