Add InterestA Russian reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by a Syrian missile over the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 15 people on board, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. "The Israeli pilots were using the Russian aircraft as a shield and pushed it into the line of fire of the Syrian defense," said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov. The Israeli military said in a statement Tuesday that its jets were already within Israeli airspace when the downing occurred. The Russian Defense Ministry said a recovery operation located the plane's wreckage at sea and has retrieved some bodies and some fragments from the plane. The Israeli military said that hotline with Russia was in operation and that it would share with Russia all the data at its disposal.

Source: ABC News September 18, 2018 05:19 UTC