The United States refused to consider hostile convergence with su-35 in Syria – RBC

the su-35

Photo: Yang Guang/Zuma/TASS

the Convergence of military aircraft of Russia and the USA in Syria was not hostile action, said the American representative of the coalition. According to him, the incident occurred due to the loss of situational awareness by the pilot of the Russian

As told by American representative of the staff of anti-terrorist operation conducted by the coalition of countries headed by the USA in Iraq and Syria, the Russian su-35 inadvertently passed in front of the noses of the American “big plane.”

“during the investigation, the coalition had found that the crossing rate was the result of a loss of situational awareness in flight, the Russian pilot and a hostile act is not”, — said the source TASS.

According to him, su-35 accompanied by Russian reconnaissance aircraft and “unintentionally passed before the nose of the “big plane” coalition”. The Russian fighter jet was 800 meters away from the American plane. The source said that the distance was “so close that the coalition aircraft experienced the turbulence from a jet Russian fighter”.

He also said that the crew of the coalition immediately got in touch with the Russian pilot, and the next day the hotline, the Russian side has informed the colleagues that the pilot of the su-35 was not aware of the coalition aircraft.

the Russian defense Ministry also issued a statement about the incident, which happened on October 17. Official representative of Russian defense Ministry major General Igor Konashenkov said that the dangerous convergence of Russian and American aircraft in the skies of Syria was the fault of the US military. According to him, “representatives of the command of the US air force has apologized for the incident and promised to conduct relevant work with the pilots.”

“the Seventeenth of October of this year, while in the airspace East of the city of Deir ez-Zor, the crew of an American aircraft distant radar detection E-3 AWACS in violation of the rules of safety of flights has decreased by almost one kilometer from their height and dangerously close to a distance less than 500 meters to Russian fighter su-35″, — said Konashenkov.

for the First time about incident it became known after him on October 28, said the Lieutenant General, U.S. air force Jeff Harrigan. According to him, both aircraft carried out night flight off the signal lights. They approached at a distance less than half a mile (800 m). The General said that, in the opinion of the American command, the Russian aircraft was escorted by reconnaissance aircraft and carried out a maneuver close to the American plane.

the American side did not specify which aircraft were involved.