Russian ambassador shot in Ankara

ANKARA - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed to Russian news agencies on Monday that the Russian ambassador to Ankara, Andrey Karlov, had been gunned down in an attack and hospitalised.

Zakharova said Moscow was in touch with Turkish authorities about the attack.

"Today, during a public event, an unknown person opened fire chaotically," Zakharova was cited as saying. "As a result, Andrey Karlov, the ambassador to Turkey, received a gunshot wound."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency that President Vladimir Putin had been told about the attack and would be studying a report from the intelligence services and foreign ministry on the incident.

Hurriyet newspaper's English website said the ambassador was shot while making a speech and that Turkish special forces had surronded the building. NTV said three other people were wounded.

CNN Turk television said shooting was continuing in the building.

Russia and Turkey have been involved in conflict in Syria across the border from where over two million Syrian refugees have settled. Turkey has been a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad while Russia has deployed troops and its air force in support of the Syrian leader.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. Islamic State militants have been active in Turkey and carried out several bomb attacks on Turkish targets

A photograph posted on twitter showed a man in a black suit holding a pistol, standing close to a podium in the gallery, its walls hung with pictures. Four people including what appeared to be the ambassador lay on the floor.