A by-the-minute account of the events that led to the downing of the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft in Syria earlier this week will be presented to the public on Sunday, the Russian Ministry of Defence has announced.
The presentation will include objective radar data on the situation in the air above Syria at the time of the “tragedy” on September 17 and “the actions of Israeli aircraft in the area of the plane crash,” the ministry said in a statement.
Late on Monday, the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft, with 15 servicemen aboard, was shot down over the Mediterranean Sea by the Syrian S-200 air defense system.
Following the incident, Russia’s Ministry of Defence spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, said that the Russian plane was put in the line of fire by the Israeli military jets, which were bombing targets in Syria’s Latakia province.
Konashenkov also said that the Israeli military only informed the Russian side of the planned attack on Syria a minute before it was launched.
Israel denies responsibility for the deadly crash, putting the blame for it on the Syrian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a thorough investigation of the incident and called the Israeli bombings of the Syrian territory illegal.
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