Turkey has summoned the Russian ambassador to voice its unease after Turkish media captured images of a Russian soldier apparently pointing a missile launcher as his warship navigated through the Bosporus on its way to the Mediterranean.

The ambassador was called to the ministry on Monday amid escalating Russian-Turkish tensions following Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane near the border with Syria last month.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called the Russian ship's passage with the missile launcher on display a provocative act that "has to end."

The minister renewed a call for the two sides to overcome tensions through diplomatic means and for Russia to halt punitive sanctions on Turkey.

Cavusoglu added: "We are asking Russia to act as a more mature state."

AP