By Emre Gurkan Abay
MOSCOW (AA) - Moscow on Tuesday commemorated the first anniversary of Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, who was assassinated at an art exhibition in the capital Ankara.
A commemoration ceremony, attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Karlov's wife Marina and Ankara's ambassador to Moscow, Huseyin Dirioz, was held in front of Karlov's house at Petrozavodskaya Street in Moscow.
"In recent years, he [Karlov] did a lot in Turkey. He made a significant contribution to the development of our relations with one of the most important neighbor,” Lavrov said in the ceremony.
“Andrey died while fulfilling his official duty and we will never forget him,” he added,
The foreign minister said Karlov was a "close" friend of him and was one of the "best" Russian diplomats.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency following the ceremony, Turkish ambassador Dirioz said: "His death is a loss both for Russia and for Turkey.
Dirioz said the assassination was directed against the relations between Moscow and Ankara, adding: "It turns out that FETO (the Fetullah Terrorist Organization) was behind [against the assassination]."
He added investigation into the assassination of Karlov continues together with Russia.
Karlov died after being shot multiple times at an art exhibition in Ankara on Dec. 19. He was delivering a speech when the assailant, 22-year-old Turkish policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas, opened fire.
As part of the investigation into the assassination of Karlov, five people were arrested including three police officers and Guru Media Broadcast Group Chairman Hayreddin Aydinbas.
Turkish-Russian relations were tested after Karlov's assassination. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the shooting as a "provocation" designed to undermine bilateral ties.
Putin last Dec. signed an executive order awarding Karlov the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation.