Some Russians are sharing rage on social media over Turkey's downing of a Russian military plane on Tuesday with a hashtag that translates as "stab in the back."
УдарВСпину, or "stab in the back," comes from Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks in the aftermath of the downing of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 military plane.
"This event is beyond the normal framework of fighting against terrorism," Putin said during a meeting in Sochi with King Abdullah II of Jordan. "Of course, our military is doing heroic work against terrorism...But the loss today is a stab in the back, carried out by the accomplices of terrorists."
Turkish officials say the jet violated its airspace and that it was shot down to protect Turkey's territorial integrity; Russia says the plane was flying in Syrian skies.
But online, many Russians have clearly made up their minds: They're standing with Putin.
On Twitter and Vkontakte, Russia's version of Facebook, many used the hashtag to call for a boycott of package tours to Turkey and to denounce Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Some even accused Turkey and NATO of supporting the Islamic State -- something Putin alluded to in his remarks earlier on Tuesday. However, there is no evidence of an illicit oil trade with ISIS, and Turkish pilots reportedly warned the Russian jet 10 times before firing.
NATO in the service of ISIS #УдарВспину #Su24 pic.twitter.com/ytx1E5hywU— ☭Марина_Саакян☭ (@marina_saniram) November 24, 2015
#УдарВСпину pic.twitter.com/ag23NDxenA— bloodleaf (@crimleaf) November 24, 2015
@epoddubny #УдарВСпину pic.twitter.com/28y7RjtkCC— Yuri Goodwill (@goodwill2406) November 24, 2015
Пособники террористов...#УдарВСпину pic.twitter.com/NX358WStzm— русский код (@verak191717) November 24, 2015
I won't die for #Ankara! Would you? #УдарВСпину— novytweety (@novytweety) November 24, 2015
Собака эрдоган-(дон) показал свое истенное лицо #УдарВСпину#TurkeyisIS pic.twitter.com/FaEatECRYW— Ilya Muromez (@Torwaltpatriot) November 24, 2015
Что-то давно не прибивали щиты на воротах Константинополя... #УдарВСпину pic.twitter.com/eOeYdzQRYb— Резидент Кремля ☭ (@KremlinResident) November 24, 2015
As the "stab in the back" meme caught on, Russia's state-run news channel joined in.
Russian evening news casts lead with a segment called "Stab in the Back." https://t.co/UJnD3E3OlN pic.twitter.com/wOkJeNLpji— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) November 24, 2015