Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Defense Ministry Denies Warplane Shot Down in Syria

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov Russian Defense Ministry

Russia's Defense Ministry has denied reports that one of its aircraft was shot down near the Syrian city of Raqqa on Thursday, the Interfax news agency reported.

The statement came after claims by some media outlets that a Russian warplane had been downed by the Islamic State, a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

A post by the Raqqa_SL Twitter account sparked the reports, reading: ?€?Fighters say they shot down a Russian warplane in Mansoura West Raqqa capture two pilots.?€?

The account is generally considered to be a reliable source of information from the Islamic State capital.

Earlier this week, a Russian Mi-28 helicopter crashed in western Syria, killing the two pilots on board.

The incident took place on Monday night near the city of Homs, RIA Novosti reported. Their sources said that the helicopter wasn't under fire at the time of the crash.

The bodies of the two pilots have been moved to the Khmeimim air base in Latakia.

Moscow began air strikes in Syria in September. Last month, President Vladimir Putin announced the withdrawal of the majority of Russian forces from the country, claiming that most of Russia's goals in the area had been accomplished.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more