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Russian military observer: Russia lost control of Syrian airspace and shot down the IL-20
The crash of the Russian Il-20 aircraft in the district of the Syrian city of Latakia was caused by the fact that the Russian military lost control of the airspace and the Syrian air defense system in the area of its Khmeimim airbase, writes Russian journalist and military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer in his blog for the newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
He reminded that the air defense system of the Assad's Syrian Arab Armed Forces, which the Soviet Union helped to build, was almost fully destroyed due …
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Israel hands over to Russia data on downing of Il-20 in Syria
The Israeli military handed over data to Russia regarding the Il-20 aircraft that was shot down, as well as about Iran’s activities in Syria, as stated by the Israel Defense Force on Thursday, September.
It is noted that a report was compiled on the situation concerning the Syrian air defense system that shot down a Russian aircraft on the night of September 17th.
In addition, the Israel Defense Force reported on Iran’s ongoing attempts to establish its own military presence in Syria and …
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Russia explains the detention of ships in the Azov Sea as its ‘sovereign right’
Russia’s Foreign Minister spokesperson Maria explained the detentions and searches of ships in the Sea of Azov, which headed to Ukrainian ports, as “ensuring security” and as its “sovereign right for inland waters."
"Russia's actions to inspect ships are aimed only at ensuring security in the waters of the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait. They do not contradict any international laws that apply to the inland water areas. Other states' practices of exercising sovereign rights in respect to inland …
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Russia considers withdrawal from the Council of Europe
At a meeting with Liliane Maury Pasquier, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said that the Russian Federation is seriously considering the withdrawal from the Council of Europe, TASS reports.
“We have an internal decision to leave the Council of Europe. I am telling you this sincerely,” she told the head of the Assembly.
Matviyenko said that the reason for this announcement was the ongoing crisis in the …
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Syrian air defense that destroyed Russian Il-20 was not equipped with Friend or Foe System
The Syrian S-200 missile system, which destroyed the Il-20 aircraft of the Russian Air Forces over the Mediterranean Sea, was not equipped with the Russian identification friend or foe system (IFF) to distinguish their own from other aircraft, stated the chief spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenkov, writes TASS.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that media reports that say the plane crash was caused by a malfunction of the IFF system are “amateurish fantasies” and “ …