Russia threatens to blow US planes

Russia has threatened that it will consider US planes in Syria as targets as it suspends communications and military cooperation with the US after after the US shot down a Syrian plane as new tensions broke out between the two countries.
 
Russia through it's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov who described the shooting as a “dangerous escalation” released a statement on Monday, condemning the US for shooting down the warplane that had dropped bombs near ground forces supported by the US.

Reacting to the incident, Mr Ryabkov said it was an "act of aggression and support of terrorists”

But the US Central Command said they had shot the plane out of the sky on Sunday in “self defence” as it flew over the war-torn country.

Russia’s defence ministry said it would now track all coalition flights west of the Euphrates river, while suspending its use of a military hotline for avoiding incidents in Syrian airspace.



Moscow accused the US of failing to use the established communication hotline to warn Russia about the downing of the plane.

“The command of the coalition forces did not use the established communication channel for preventing incidents in Syrian airspace,” the defence ministry said.

As a result, it now “ends co-operation with the American side from June 19 based on a memorandum for prevention of incidents and ensuring safety of air flights during operations in Syria, and demands a careful investigation by the US command” of the downing.

“Any flying objects, including planes and drones of the international coalition, discovered west of the Euphrates river will be tracked as aerial targets by Russia’s air defences on and above ground,” it said.