The Armed Forces of Israel issued a statement in which they challenged the version of the Russian Defense Ministry about the crash of the Russian Il-20 over the Mediterranean Sea, RIA Novosti reported..

The statement of the Israeli army says that the country's air force did not hide behind a Russian plane and timely used the mechanism of conflict prevention in Syria. The military also noted that the Russian Armed Forces were provided with exhaustive and accurate details of the incident, which prove Israel's innocence.

The Israeli side stressed that the security of the Russian military in Syria is an important element in the decision to conduct operations in the country, and the continued coordination between Israel and Russia is of interest to both countries.