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MOSCOW – The Russian Deputy Defense Minister said Thursday that a US military plane had taken control of 13 drones over Syria and attempted to attack them at a Russian military base, but the drones had been slaughtered before they can reach their target.
According to Alexander Fomin, the drones were heading for Hemeimeem airbase in Latakia province, when an American P-8 Poseidon Poseidon flying over the Mediterranean had "controlled" them. He did not specify who owned the drones or when the alleged incident occurred.
At a security conference in Beijing, Fomin said the drones had been destroyed before they could reach the base. The United States did not comment on the request.
Fomin's comments marked the first time that Moscow directly accused the United States of coordinating an attack on Russian assets in Syria.
Asked about Fomin's statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the news was "very disturbing". He added that he "did not rule out" the fact that Putin could raise the issue when he will meet with US President Donald Trump in Paris. they both attend the events of November 11th which mark the centenary of the Armistice.
Russia has been conducting a military campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad since September 2015, helping to reverse the trend of civil war in the country. The Hemeimeem base was the main hub of Russian operations in Syria. Repeated drone attacks have been launched by the rebels this year.
The Russian army has maintained a telephone line with the United States to prevent clashes and other incidents between Russian and US forces in Syria.
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