Vladimir Putin sees downing of Russian plane off Syria as accidental ‘tragic chance events’
Remarks by the Russian president seemed to defuse a possible crisis after the Defence Ministry blamed Israel for indirectly causing the attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the shooting down of a Russian military plane near Syria’s coast was the result of a series of tragic and chance circumstances – walking back claims by his own ministers that Israel was at fault.
His comments appeared to somewhat defuse a possible crisis after Russia’s Defence Ministry accused Israel of indirectly causing the incident. It said that while Syrian anti-aircraft had mistakenly shot down the plane of a close ally, Israeli jets flying nearby had put the Russian jet in the path of danger, and it threatened to retaliate over what it called a hostile act.
“It looks most likely in this case that it was a chain of tragic chance events because an Israeli aircraft did not shoot down our aircraft,” Putin told reporters. “But, without any doubt we need to seriously get to the bottom of what happened.”
Putin said Moscow’s response would aim to secure the safety of Russian military personnel in Syria’s complicated civil war, in which various outside powers have backed opposing sides.
“As for retaliatory measures, they will be aimed first and foremost at further ensuring the safety of our military personnel and facilities in Syria. And these will be steps that everyone will notice,” Putin said.