Russian Military Plane Carrying 14 Downed - Did France, Israel Or Syria Shoot?

There is uncertainty over the disappearance of a Russian military aircraft with 14 people on board which was flying over Syria when it apparently went down.

The Russian defense ministry admitted that: "Connection has been lost with the crew of a Russian Il-20 plane over the Mediterranean Sea."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MISSILE attack on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Homs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Homs</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hama?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hama</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lattakia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lattakia</a>, in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a>. <br><br>Missiles on Lattakia &quot;were fired from the sea&quot;.<br><br>The attack on Latakkia (several targets hit in the city &amp; nearby) is remarkable because proximity to Khmeimim <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> Air Force base. <a href="https://t.co/gwWD9A994a">https://t.co/gwWD9A994a</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Idlib?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Idlib</a> <a href="https://t.co/SyQj8Nzg9E">pic.twitter.com/SyQj8Nzg9E</a></p>&mdash; Prof Ferrada de Noli (@ProfessorsBlogg) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfessorsBlogg/status/1041792634321358848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The incident occurred about some 22 miles from the Syrian coast as the Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft was about to return to the Syrian Hmeimim airport (used by the Russian army) which is located near the north-western city of Latakia.

According to Russia’s Tass news agency: "The trace of the Il-20 on flight control radars disappeared during an attack by four Israeli F-16 jets on Syrian facilities in Latakia province."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Missiles &quot;fired from the sea&quot; on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lattakia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lattakia</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a>, were launched by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/France?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#France</a>&#39;s frigate FS Auvergne. <br>That, simultaneously with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Israel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Israel</a> Jet-fighters attacking the port city, near Khmeimim <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> Air Force base.<br>(<a href="https://t.co/D1o4ow3hrz">https://t.co/D1o4ow3hrz</a>).<br>FS &quot;Auvergne&quot; in image below<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/svpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#svpol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Idlib?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Idlib</a> <a href="https://t.co/gtTOEitY4v">pic.twitter.com/gtTOEitY4v</a></p>&mdash; Prof Ferrada de Noli (@ProfessorsBlogg) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfessorsBlogg/status/1041903956203593729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2018</a></blockquote>

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"At the same time, Russian air control radar systems detected rocket launches from the French frigate Auvergne, which was located in that region."

However, a French military spokesman told Agence France Presse (AFP) news agency: "The French army denies any involvement in this attack," though he admitted that the French frigate was indeed in the area.

The Israeli military also refused to comment on reports swirling on social media today that its planes were bombing facilities in the Latakia area, commenting: "we don't comment on foreign reports."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Russia will respond militarily to Israeli strikes against Iran,Syrian and Russian troops in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a> <br>Information is still pouring in.<br> Russia will have no choice but to react.<br>This is an act of aggression. <a href="https://t.co/Kx0vQ3QvzE">pic.twitter.com/Kx0vQ3QvzE</a></p>&mdash; Russia International News 🇷🇺 (@russia_watch) <a href="https://twitter.com/russia_watch/status/1041798155778441216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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A US Pentagon spokesman commented that they knew of the downing of the Russian aircraft but stated that "the missiles were not fired by the US military and we have nothing further at this time."

Lastly, the Syrian army spokesman claimed: "Our air defenses repelled enemy missiles coming from the open sea towards the city of Latakia and intercepted several of them before they could reach their targets."

European press reports this morning are speculating that Syria, whilst trying to repel an Israeli attack, probably downed the Russian aircraft by mistake.

Source:

https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2018/09/18/russisch-militair-vliegtuig-verdwenen-voor-de-kust-van-syrie-a1616856

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