The Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov has been shot and killed in an art gallery in Turkey, Russian news agencies have reported.

According to reports, Karlov was attending the opening of an art gallery when he was attacked by a gunman wearing a smart suit. The assassin was shot dead at the scene, according to Turkish law enforcement.

It comes after Russia and Turkey had made some small steps to repairing their relationship following the freeze in relations after Turkey accidentally shot down a Russian plane in November 2015.