Russia said it will strengthen its air defense cover over Latakia region in Syria, were one of its Su-24 tactical bomber plane was shot ...
Russia said it will strengthen its air defense cover over Latakia region in Syria, were one of its Su-24 tactical bomber plane was shot down by Turkey on Tuesday after it briefly violated its airspace.
Moscow said all its future bombing missions will be carried out under air defense cover from fighter jets signaling more deployment of air to air fighter jets. Currently four Su-30SM fighter are deployed to the Hmmeyim airbase in Latakia for the Combat Air Patrol missions.
Russian Defense Ministry said the the country will deploy the S-400 air defense system to Hmeymim airbase in Syria, which is the most capable anti-aircraft/anti-missile air defense system in the world and a Moskva cruiser ship equipped with the potent S-300 air defense system to the shore of Latakia.
Russian MoD warned that all the potentially dangerous targets will be shot down.
The S-300 system will seriously undermine Turkish and U.S. offensive capability in the region. U.S. had deployed its F-15 fighters to the Incirilik airbase in Turkey since last month.
The S-400 is designed to destroy all types of aerodynamic targets including aircraft, cruise missiles, at ranges up to 400 km, and ballistic targets (flying at speeds up to 4,8 km/s) at ranges of up to 60 km, at altitudes from several metres to several dozens of kilometres.
The Su-24 was shot down by one of the two Turkish F-16 fighters on combat air patrol mission using a short range sidewinder air to air missile.
The IR homing missile hit the Su-24's engine which is confirmed from the pictures, over Syrian territory while its was at aN altitude of 6000 m. The bomber crashed into mountainous region in Latakia, four kilometres far from Turkish borderline.
The Su-24M crew managed to eject, but one of the pilot was shot dead by Turkmen rebels loyal to Turkey, while he was parachuting. The second pilot was rescued and returned to the Hmeymim base.
Russian aircraft has been conducting a heavy bombardment against the Turkmen villages in the Bayırbucak Turkmen area near Türkmendağı (Jabal Al Turkman), in northwest of Syria, which is in the immediate vicinity of Turkey’s Yayladağ border crossing in recent days.
Russia claimed the aircraft has not violated Turkish airspace, according to its objective monitoring data. Moreover, radar reconnaissance data received from the Hmeymim airbase, registered Syrian airspace violation by the attacking Turkish F-16s.
Meanwhile one of the two Russian Mi-8 helicopters deployed for Combat Search and Rescue Mission to retrieve the pilots was forced to make a emergency landing in neutral area after it came under small arms fire killing one of its Marine.
The personnel onboard helicopter were safely evacuated to Hmeymim airbase. The helicopter was later destroyed by FSA (Free Syrian Army) using a U.S. supplied TOW anti tank missile, footage of which was released by them.
