Downing of Russian plane in Syria was ‘tragic’ accident: Putin
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The downing of a Russian military plane carrying 15 people in Syria late on Monday was a “tragic confluence of circumstances,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia will respond by beefing up security in Syria, he told reporters during a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow on Tuesday.
"These will be the steps that everyone will notice," he said, but did not go into detail.
The Russian IL-20 disappeared from the radar over the Mediterranean Sea some 35 kilometres from the coast. It was returning to Hmeimim airbase, according to the Russian defense ministry.
It was accidentally shot down by Syria’s air defenses that were engaged against an Israeli airstrike late on Monday.
The plane had been collecting intelligence about drones being used by Syrian rebels in Idlib, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Interfax reported.
Israel warned Russia of its intended action one minute before striking, Shoigu said. The two nations have a deconfliction line.
Putin did not lay blame on Israel: “An Israeli jet did not shoot down our plane,” he said, rejecting comparisons with the downing of Russian jet by Turkey in 2015.
Israel’s military expressed its “sorrow” for the incident.
"Israel expresses sorrow for the death of the aircrew members of the Russian plane that was downed tonight due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire," read a statement from the military (IDF) on Tuesday.
The statement said they hold the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Hezbollah responsible for the “unfortunate incident.”
The IDF, which rarely confirms its air raids on Syria, said their jets had targeted a Syrian army facility in Latakia that was about to transfer weapons from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“These weapons were meant to attack Israel, and posed an intolerable threat against it,” the military stated.
The IDF said that its jets had already returned to Israeli airspace when Syria’s air defence system swung into action and the Russian jet was not in the area of operation when the Israeli jets were carrying out their strike.
“The Syrian anti-air batteries fired indiscriminately and from what we understand, did not bother to ensure that no Russian planes were in the air,” the IDF stated.
Russia will respond by beefing up security in Syria, he told reporters during a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow on Tuesday.
"These will be the steps that everyone will notice," he said, but did not go into detail.
The Russian IL-20 disappeared from the radar over the Mediterranean Sea some 35 kilometres from the coast. It was returning to Hmeimim airbase, according to the Russian defense ministry.
It was accidentally shot down by Syria’s air defenses that were engaged against an Israeli airstrike late on Monday.
The plane had been collecting intelligence about drones being used by Syrian rebels in Idlib, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Interfax reported.
Israel warned Russia of its intended action one minute before striking, Shoigu said. The two nations have a deconfliction line.
Putin did not lay blame on Israel: “An Israeli jet did not shoot down our plane,” he said, rejecting comparisons with the downing of Russian jet by Turkey in 2015.
Israel’s military expressed its “sorrow” for the incident.
"Israel expresses sorrow for the death of the aircrew members of the Russian plane that was downed tonight due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire," read a statement from the military (IDF) on Tuesday.
The statement said they hold the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Hezbollah responsible for the “unfortunate incident.”
The IDF, which rarely confirms its air raids on Syria, said their jets had targeted a Syrian army facility in Latakia that was about to transfer weapons from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“These weapons were meant to attack Israel, and posed an intolerable threat against it,” the military stated.
The IDF said that its jets had already returned to Israeli airspace when Syria’s air defence system swung into action and the Russian jet was not in the area of operation when the Israeli jets were carrying out their strike.
“The Syrian anti-air batteries fired indiscriminately and from what we understand, did not bother to ensure that no Russian planes were in the air,” the IDF stated.