A Russian aircraft, an IL-20 of the Air Force, disappeared from radar while flying over the Mediterranean on the evening of September 17, was shot down by the Syrian anti-aircraft gun.
The news was confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense which stated that the plane with 15 people on board, including the crew, was hit by an S-200 Syrian air defense missile launched to respond to an attack by the air forces Israeli.
The plane was returning to the Russian air base at Hmeymim, just as four Israeli Air Force F-16 jets launched an attack on Syrian targets in Latakia province.
General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the ministry, points the finger at Israel by declaring that it was "hostile" conduct; "Israel's military actions led to the deaths of 15 Russian soldiers." “The Israeli pilots used the Russian plane as cover so that it was targeted by the Syrian air defense forces. As a result, the IL-20, which has a much larger radar footprint than the F-16, was shot down by a Syrian defense missile ”.
Furthermore, as reported by some agencies in a note released by the Russian ministry, Israel did not adequately warn Russia in advance about the planned operation, the warning in fact came one minute before the attack began, which "does not he left time to move the Russian plane to a safe area ”.