(VOVworld) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the man who killed the Russian ambassador to Turkey on Monday was a follower of exiled Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has been blamed for last July’s attempted coup in Turkey.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Source: AP/VNA)

The assassination came at a time of improving relations and increasing cooperation between Russia and Turkey. Leaders of both countries vowed to not let the assassination cast a shadow over that friendship, adding that they will join their efforts to combat terrorism. Following the assassination, Turkey and Russia formed a joint committee to investigate the crime.