Russia blames Israel for plane downing by Syria

MOSCOW — The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday again blamed Israel for the downing of a Russian plane by Syrian government forces, adding that Israel appeared “ungrateful” for Moscow’s efforts to rein in Iran-backed fighters in Syria.

The Israeli military in a statement later Sunday insisted that the Israelis complied with the hotline procedures in place to prevent such occurrences.

Syrian government forces mistook the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane for an Israeli jet and shot it down Monday, killing all 15 people aboard. The Russian military initially blamed the plane’s loss on Israel, but President Vladimir Putin later attributed it to “a chain of tragic, fatal circumstances” in which an Israeli fighter jet used the Russian plane as a shield. Israel rejected the allegation.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday presented its latest findings on the Il-20’s downing, laying the blame squarely on Israel.

Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement that an Israeli fighter jet flying over Syria’s Mediterranean coast shortly before the downing deliberately used the Russian plane as a shield, reflecting “either lack of professionalism or criminal negligence.” He accused Israel of using a hotline set up with Russia to prevent their air forces from clashing over Syria skies to mislead Russia about its plans. He said the Russians were unable to get the Il-20 to a safe place because an Israeli duty officer had misled them, telling them of an Israeli operation in northern Syria while the jets were actually in Latakia, in the country’s west.

“We believe that the Israeli Air Force and those who were making decisions about these actions are fully to blame for the tragedy that happened to the Russian Il-20 plane,” Konashenkov said.