Kremlin accuses US of supplying Syrian rebels with MANPADS used to shoot down Russian assault craft
The Americans supplied the Syrian militants with man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) through third countries, said Frants Klintsevich, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Defense and Security Committee, responding to reports that a Russian Su-25 had been shot down in the Syrian Idlib Province with a MANPADS.
“I am absolutely convinced, I even spoke about this earlier, that today the militants have MANPADS, and they were supplied by the Americans through third countries,” Interfax cites the senator as saying.
As noted by the news agency, Klintsevich said that Russia intends to carry out a thorough investigation to determine the type of MANPADS and the “circumstances of the downing of the Su-25”.
Klintsevich also remarked that there is no need to reinforce the Russian military group in Syria in connection with the incident in Idlib.
“We have enough forces and resources to sort it out,” the senator noted.
A Russian Su-25 was shot down on February 3 in the vicinity of the Syrian city of Idlib. The aircraft was reportedly shot down from a portable air-defense system.