Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the killing of the Russian ambassador to Ankara is designed to spoil Russian-Turkish ties, according to Independent.

Mr Putin said the killing of Andrey Karlov in the Turksih capital was also intended to derail Moscow's attempts to find, with Iran and Turkey, a solution for the Syria crisis.

He said Russian investigators have opened a criminal case into the killing.

In televised comments, Mr Putin, speaking at a special meeting in the Kremlin, ordered security at Russian embassies around the world to be stepped up and said he wanted to know who had "directed" the gunman's hand.

He heaped praise on the murdered Russian ambassador, Mr Karlov, who was shot in the back and killed as he gave a speech at an Ankara art gallery, and made clear that Moscow's response to his assassination would be robust.

"A crime has been committed and it was without doubt a provocation aimed at spoiling the normalisation of Russo-Turkish relations and spoiling the Syrian peace process which is being actively pushed by Russia, Turkey, Iran and others," said a stern-faced Mr Putin.

"There can only be one response - stepping up the fight against terrorism. The bandits will feel this happening."

Mr Putin, who said he personally knew the slain envoy, said he had agreed in a phone call with his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russian investigators would soon fly to Ankara to help the Turks with the investigation.