U.S. aviation actions against Syrian Armed Forces are gross violation of int'l law, military aggression - Russian Defense Ministry
MOSCOW. June 19 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry has called the destruction of a Syrian plane by a U.S. fighter a violation of Syria's sovereignty.
"The destruction of the Syrian Air Force plane by U.S. aviation in Syrian air space is a cynical violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic," the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
"Repeated combat actions by U.S. aviation under the cover of counterterrorism against the lawful armed forces of a country that is a member of the UN are a massive violation of international law and de facto military aggression against the Syrian Arab Republic," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a U.S. F-18A fighter shot down a Syrian Air Force Sukhoi Su-22 plane with an air-to-air missile on June 18. The Russian military said the Su-22 was supporting Syrian units that were advancing on terrorists from ISIL (banned in Russia) near the populated area of al-Rasafe 40 kilometers southwest of al-Raqqah.
The strike destroyed the Syrian plane and the pilot ejected over the area controlled by ISIL, with his fate unknown, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
