Syrian allies accidentally hit Russian plane

Assad forces were targeting Israeli jets

A Russian military reconnaissance plane with 15 people on board was mistakenly shot down by allied Syria forces targeting Israeli jets, in one of the deadliest incidents of friendly fire in Syria.

Russia’s defence ministry said that Israeli F-16 pilots were using its Ilyushin Il-20 turboprop aircraft as cover while carrying out strikes against targets in Latakia province and put it in the line of fire from Syrian missiles.

The aircraft was hit 35 kilometres off Latakia’s coast in the eastern Mediterranean on Monday evening as it was returning to a Russian airbase near the port city, which is under the control of Bashar Assad’s government.

It appears the Israelis were targeting an ammunition depot linked to the Lebanese Hezbollah group, and had killed at least two fighters and wounded 10.

Israel denied it was its intention to provoke Syria into firing at the allied Russian plane. The Russian defence ministry said they were given only a one-minute warning from Israel over their deconfliction hotline, leaving it with insufficient time to reach a safe area.

Israeli pilots carrying out attacks on Syrian targets “used the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences,” Igor Konashenkov, Russian military spokesman, said in televised remarks.

“We consider these provocative actions by Israel as hostile. Fifteen Russian military service members died because of irresponsible actions of the Israeli military. It’s absolutely contrary to spirit of Russia-Israeli partnership,” he said. “We reserve the right for adequate response.”

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to de-escalate tensions, saying the downing of the plane was the result of “a chain of tragic circumstances” and that Moscow would look into boosting security for its servicemen.

Despite backing different sides in the war, Israel and Russia have so far managed to carefully coordinate military action in Syria.

Israel has carried out more than 200 attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian targets in Syria in the last few years, in an attempt to stop its foes from becoming too entrenched in the country. Moscow has never interfered.

However, the latest incident marks the worst loss of Russian life to friendly fire since Moscow intervened in the conflict in 2015 and could change the way they view the Israeli raids, particularly so close to Russian bases.

The Ilyushin aircraft was reported missing shortly after Moscow announced an agreement with Turkey to set up a demilitarized zone in the last rebel stronghold of Idlib.

The deal temporarily delays an all-out offensive by Syrian forces to retake the province, which the United Nations had warned would spark the worst humanitarian crisis this century.