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Russia blames Israel for military plane downed in Mediterranean Sea near Syria

Israel 'expresses regret' over incident in which Syria accidentally downed a Russian aircraft, killing all 15 on board

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Israel is entirely responsible for the downing of a Russian military plane over the eastern Mediterranean Sea late on Monday night, Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said.

The reconnaissance aircraft was brought down by a Syrian surface-to-air missile, but Mr Shoigu told Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman that Moscow holds Israel wholly to blame.

An IDF spokesperson said Israel "expresses its regret over the death of the crew members of the Russian plane that was downed tonight due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire", the Jerusalem Post reported.

Russian news agencies also reported the aircraft was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft systems but added Israeli air force jets flying in the same area put the Russian aircraft in the line of fire.

The missiles were aimed at four Israeli fighter jets that were attacking targets in the coastal province of Latakia late on Monday, the Russian ministry said.

It accused the Israeli army of “intentional provocation” and said Israel did not warn them of its operation in the area until one minute before the strike.

The Israeli government has not commented.

Russian reports said that the IL-20 plane with 15 servicemen aboard lost contact with radar near Khmeimim air base near Latakia.

“Connection has been lost with the crew of a Russian Il-20 plane over the Mediterranean Sea 35 kilometres from the Syrian coast as it was returning to the Hmeimim airbase,” the Russian defence ministry said, adding that communications were lost at the time of the suspected Israeli attack.

“At the same time Russian air control radar systems detected rocket launches from the French frigate Auvergne which was located in that region,” Russia’s TASS news agency quoted the defence ministry as saying, according to Reuters.

An Israeli military spokeswoman, when asked about both the reported Israeli strike and the Russian plane, said: “We don’t comment on foreign reports.”

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