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Putin, Netanyahu discussed loss of Russia’s Ilyushin-20 during Paris event

The Russian leader said no date for another meeting had been set yet
Ilyushin-20 plane Maxim Kuzovkov/TASS
Ilyushin-20 plane
© Maxim Kuzovkov/TASS

SINGAPORE, November 15. /TASS/. While visiting Paris Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu discussed the tragedy involving Russia’s Ilyushin-20 reconnaissance plane, shot down off Syria on September 17.

"We talked about the tragedy that had occurred in Syria, of course. I mean the loss of our plane and our people, our military personnel," Putin told a news conference following the East Asia Summit.

Israel’s position is clear and well-known, he remarked.

"They disclaim involvement in this tragedy," Putin said. "Naturally, we discussed that and some other issues concerning bilateral relations, and the situation in the region in general and in Syria in particular."

Putin said no date for another meeting had been set yet.

"No specific dates of a future bilateral meeting were negotiated," he said, adding that there were "no plans for talks in this format for the time being."

Russia’s radio-electronic reconnaissance plane Ilyushin-20 was shot down off Syria on September 17. None of the 15 military servicemen on board survived. The Russian Defense Ministry said the plane was hit by a stray Syrian air defense missile, launched with the S-200 system that was counter-attacking four Israeli F-16 fighter jets during their raid on targets in Latakia province. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Israeli air pilots in fact used the Russian plane as a decoy. Its spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the blame for the loss of the Ilyushin-20 in Syria rested squarely upon the Israeli Air Force and those who had made the decision to use the plane as a cover.