WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – Tensions between Russia and the United States escalated today as Moscow received word that President Barack Obama has pardoned Turkey.

Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was recently accused of shooting down a Russian military plane for allegedly crossing Turkish airspace.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Moscow that “Obama didn’t have the right to issue the pardon since it was not the United States that was the aggrieved party in this international incident.”

The U.S. State Department however said that it was a case of “lost in translation.” Putin was misinformed and wasn’t made aware that the turkey Obama pardoned was a bird, not the country.

It is an annual White House tradition to pardon a turkey to save it from being served for dinner at Thanksgiving.