Deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, Oleg Ignasyuk, stated that a fighter of the international coalition came dangerously close to a Russian aircraft in the skies over Homs province.
Ignasyuk said: “On August 17, between 11:05 and 11:10, an F/A-18 fighter-bomber of the coalition came dangerously close to a Russian Aerospace Forces An-30 aircraft that was performing a routine flight in Syrian airspace over Al-Tanf area in Homs province at an altitude of 6,700 meters.”
He added: “The Russian crew, showing high professionalism, took the necessary measures in a timely manner to prevent a collision.”
Ignasyuk noted that “18 violations of the rules for using the airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic by coalition aircraft were recorded in Al-Tanf area during the day: three pairs of F-15 fighters, a pair of Typhoon fighters, a pair of F/A-18 fighters, and three pairs of A-10 attack aircraft.” In addition, six cases of violations of the deconfliction protocols dated D
ecember 9, 2019 regarding uncoordinated flights of drones with the Russian side were recorded.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency