Anti Media but still Clickbait title :)

They weren't russians. They were syrian (well maybe just arabic or afghan) mercs. Actually they were terrorists got paid by russia just like there are terrorists paid by us and turks in that region.

one side says mercs, other rebels, other terrorists.

Total charlie foxtrott. You'd expect it should've been resolved by now but it seems this is still the beginning. trump-putin-erdogan trying to play a game there and we are gonna suffer.