Russia accused US coalition of harassing jet in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A drone belonging to the US-led coalition reportedly approached a Russian fighter jet in Syria, Russian state media reported on Sunday, days after Washington accused Moscow of harassing its drones in Syrian airspace. 

"At 6:53 a.m. on July 30, the [pro-American] coalition’s MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle once again dangerously approached a Russian Su-34 plane,” Russian state-owned TASS cited Oleg Gurinov, the deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, as saying. 

Gurinov added that the alleged incident took place near Raqqa. The center is affiliated to Moscow’s defense ministry and was set up in 2016 together with Turkey and in agreement with the US.

Last week, US Air Force announced that Russian aircraft had flown close to a US drone in Syria, “harassing the MQ-9 and deploying flares from a position directly overhead.” The Russian aircraft struck the drone, damaging its propeller, according to the US.

Earlier this month, the US said Russian aircraft had harassed MQ-9 drones over Syria twice within 24 hours. In March, Washington said a Russian jet damaged the propeller of a drone, causing it to crash over the Black Sea.

According to Gurinov, 12 violations by US drones were recorded in Syrian airspace in 24 hours. 

Also on Sunday, TASS quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as warning that Russia is “ready for any scenario” but does not want conflict with the US. Moscow also claimed that the US coalition made “23 dangerous approaches” to Russian aircraft in Syria. 

The US-led coalition maintains its presence in Syria where it claims to be fighting the Islamic State (ISIS), alongside local Kurdish forces. Russia has been the Syrian regime’s strongest ally throughout the Syrian war.