Russian State Duma First Deputy Chairman Ivan Melnikov welcomed the decision on suspending visa-free travel with Turkey starting 2016.

"This is the right decision, and it is directly related to national security and preemptive antiterrorist measures. I'd like to hope this measure will be bilateral," Melnikov told Interfax on Friday.

It is dangerous for Russian citizens to visit Turkey under the current regime, and this should be a good lesson for the Turkish elite, Melnikov said. "Let them choose who is more important to them, thugs or tourists," he said.

The Turkish people will sooner or later put pressure on their leaders and help their country make a choice in favor of friendship and peace between the two countries, he said.

State Duma deputy Nikolai Levichev suggested that the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) should ban flights to Turkey.

"We welcome the termination of visa-free travel and hope Rosaviatsiya will ban flights to this country. Our citizens in Turkey definitely can't feel safe," Levichev told journalists on Friday.

Over the days that have passed since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane, not only has it not apologized for its act of aggression, but it has also continued to foment tensions, he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier on Friday that Russia would suspend visa-free travel with Turkey starting January 1, 2016.