A RUSSIAN maritime patrol aircraft with multiple personnel on board was inadvertently shot down by the Syrian Government’s anti-aircraft artillery Monday after the Syrians came under attack by Israeli missiles, Moscow has confirmed.

The Russian military said yesterday that while Syrian air defenses shot down the aircraft, Israel was to blame for putting it in the line of fire, Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

“As a result of the irresponsible actions of the Israeli military, 15 Russian servicemen were killed, which is absolutely not in keeping with the spirit of Russian-Israeli partnership,” said Russian Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian military, according to RIA-Novosti.

A U.S. official with knowledge of the incident said Monday that the Syrians were trying to stop a barrage of Israeli missiles when the Russian aircraft was hit. A second official confirmed that Israel was responsible for the missile strikes on Syria.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that a Russian IL-20 military aircraft disappeared over the Mediterranean on Monday. TASS, citing the Russian defense ministry, said the aircraft went off the radars during an attack by four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia, where Russia has based much of its military presence, including aircraft.

The Russian military said Israel notified the Russian side about the planned operation only a minute in advance, and that Israeli controllers would have seen the Russian plane, which was coming in to land, RIA reported.

The aircraft was shot down by an anti-aircraft system the Russians sold to the Syrians several years ago, a U.S. official said.

(SD-Agencies)