Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shougu told his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman that Moscow will not leave actions of Israeli Air Forces, which caused the downing of Russia's Il-20 aircraft, unanswered.
"Today, we notified our Israeli colleagues, in particular, I notified the Israeli defense minister, that we will not leave such actions, such steps, unanswered," Shoigu said at a meeting with senior military commanders in Moscow.
The Russian Hmeymim airbase had lost contact with the crew of the Russian Il-20 military aircraft late on Monday during the attack of four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia.
The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier today that the Israeli military deliberately created a dangerous situation by using the Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems. The ministry added that it considered such actions by Israel to be hostile and reserved the right to take retaliatory steps. Fifteen Russian servicemen were killed as a result of the attack.
