MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A MQ-9 Reaper drone of the US-led international coalition flew dangerously close to a Russian Su-35 aircraft in Syria, Yurii Popov, the deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said on Saturday.
«On June 29, from 11:00-11:05 [08:00-08:05 GMT], coalition’s MQ-9 Reaper drone once again flew dangerously close to a Su-35 aircraft of the Russian aerospace forces, which was making a scheduled flight in Syrian airspace, over the Al-Sukhnah town in the Homs province, at altitudes from 7,500-8,500 meters [24,606-27,887 feet]. The Russian pilot demonstrated high professionalism and took the necessary measures in a timely manner to prevent a collision,» Popov told a briefing.
The US-led coalition fighters breached deconfliction protocols and violated the Syrian airspace 10 times over the past 24 hours in the Al-Tanf area by a pair of F-15 fighter jets, a pair of Rafale and Typhoon fighter jets, as well as two pairs of А-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft, the Russian official added.
