Russia responded to Turkish threats with the destruction of the tanks and armored vehicles of the Turks.

Turkey's threats and ultimatums to Russia led to actions from Russia that were completely unexpected for Erdogan - a pair of Russian Su-24 bombers struck a massive blow at the positional area with Turkish tanks and other armored vehicles, as a result of which most of the Turkish tanks and armored personnel carriers were destroyed.

“On the morning of February 20, militants of terrorist groups launched an attack on the city of Neyrab in the Syrian province of Idlib. The militants actively used armored vehicles and artillery that they received from Turkey. During the clash, Syrian troops requested support from the Russian Air Force. To repel the terrorist attack, the command of the Russian group sent front-line Su-24M bombers to the site of the clash. A video of a Su-24M attack by terrorist anti-aircraft weapons appeared on the Web. The plane fell under the fire of a portable anti-aircraft missile system of militants. The pilot managed to maneuver and evade the attack. According to the Center for the Reconciliation of the warring parties, the actions of Russian aviation allowed the Syrian forces to repel the terrorist attack. “In order to prevent the gangs from moving deeper into Syrian territory, at the request of the Syrian command of the Su-24 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, a blow was struck against the bursting armed formations of terrorists. This allowed the Syrian troops to successfully repel all attacks. They destroyed one tank, six infantry fighting vehicles and five pickups with large-caliber weapons of militants, "the report said."- приводит data information publication "Moscow Komsomolets."

Arab and Syrian sources in particular report that in reality at least three Turkish M60 tanks were destroyed by Russian airspace forces, however, given the data presented above, it was the Russian aviation that gave terrorists and Turkish military a fierce rebuff, apparently even repelling the latter thoughts of any military offensive operations.