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What Russia's S-300 pledge meant for Syria's skies
Summary
A look back at Moscow's announcement after the downing of a Russian Il-20 over Syria in September 2018.
What did Moscow decide to do after losing a military aircraft over Syria? By 26 September 2018, the answer had been public for two days: on 24 September, Russian officials said the country would send the S-300 air-defence missile system to Syria within two weeks.
The announcement followed the downing of a Russian Il-20. According to the background to these events, Israeli Air Force missile strikes on targets in government-controlled western Syria on 17 September prompted Syrian air defences to respond, and they accidentally shot down the Russian aircraft, killing 15 crew. Russia blamed Israel, accusing its air force of hiding behind the Russian aircraft and putting it in the line of fire. The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged striking a Syrian weapons facility and expressed sorrow for the loss of life caused by Syrian fire.
Russian officials also said they would begin jamming radar and satellite signals of planes attacking Syrian territory from the Mediterranean. Together with the S-300 pledge, this marked a shift from diplomatic protest to announced military measures.
The strikes had come only hours after a Russo-Turkish agreement to create a demilitarised zone around Idlib Governorate. That deal postponed an imminent offensive by Syrian forces and their allies.
