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MOSCOW, September 18. / TASS /. The main military investigation department of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal investigation into the crash of the Russian Il-20 aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea. This was announced on Tuesday by Svetlana Petrenko, an official representative of the Russian Federation’s SC.
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“Intentional provocation.” What is known about the crash of the Il-20 over the Mediterranean Sea

“The main military investigation department of the Criminal Investigation Service of Russia instituted a criminal investigation into the crash of the Il-20 aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, and investigators and criminologists of the SC of Russia are working together with representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry,” Petrenko said.

All the circumstances and causes of the event are established.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that on September 17 at about 11:00 Moscow time, when returning to the airbase of Khmeimim over the Mediterranean Sea, 35 kilometers from the coast of Syria, communication with the crew of the Russian Il-20 aircraft disappeared. According to the military department, the IL-20 disappeared from the radar of aviation control during the attack of four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in Latakia province.

Later, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the plane was shot down by Syria’s air defense system. According to the ministry, under cover of the IL-20, Israeli pilots placed it under the fire of the S-200 complex. It was noted that the Israeli means of aviation control and the F-16 pilots “could not help seeing the Russian plane, since it came in for landing from a height of 5 km.” At the same time, they intentionally went to this provocation, said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major-General Igor Konashenkov, noting that Russia regarded the actions of Israel as hostile.