[SteveH]

Why is Russia flying over Turkey in the first place if they want to get to Syria?

Syria has a beach on the Mediterranean.

So is it just a matter of Putin saving some rubles by taking a militarily expedient but risky shortcut?

[Timber Rattler]

Here's the supposed radar track. It is only a tiny sliver of far southern Turkey over rugged nondescript terrain. The Russian incursion was only for 17 seconds, but the Turks fired anyway.