Russia Never Breached Agreements With Israel On Flights In Syrian Skies - Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2018) Russia has never breached the bilateral agreements with Israel on prevention of incidents in Syrian skies and has not activated its air defenses even when Israel created potentially dangerous situations to the Russian forces, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

"Russia has never violated the agreement with Israel and has never used the Russian air defense weapons deployed in Syria, despite the fact that Israel's air strikes caused situations that potentially threatened the safety of Russian servicemen," Konashenkov said at a briefing.

Israeli pilots "behave very differently compared to the US pilots deployed in the region," he noted, stressing that Russia and the United States inform each other in advance about their plans for air force missions in Syria.

"This enables us to undertake due measures in time, in order to prevent any situations that would threaten Russian and US forces - both in the air and on the ground," the spokesman added.

He emphasized that Russia had issued 310 notifications regarding its operations in Syria compared to only 25 given by Israel.

Russia, on its part, also facilitated the withdrawal of all Iran-backed formations from the Golan Heights at Israel's request. As a result, a total of 1,050 personnel, 24 multiple launch rocket systems and tactical missiles, as well as 145 pieces of other munitions and military equipment" were withdrawn from the area.

He also recalled that six observation posts of the Russian military police were set up along the Bravo line providing security for the UN mission staff's return.

The move made it possible to rule out any strikes from Iran-backed formations on Israel, he stressed.