Russian MoD briefing on 17 Sept
Run-down of events: RT article
RT report summarises the briefing well.
Russian MoD spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov gave a detailed account of the Israeli air strikes and event leading up to the shooting down of the Il-20 ELINT aircraft, (video with English subtitles provided in link). He called such actions "a clear violation of the 2015 Russian-Israeli agreements."
Konashenkov stated that the Israeli AF provided late-minute misleading information.
21:39 -21:42 Moscow time
Israeli AF Command phoned Russian command warning of an imminent attack was to take place on 'industrial facilities' in northern Syria, which was close to where the Il-20 was operating at the time over Idlib. The misinformation prompted the Russian Command to order the IL-20 plane to return to Hmeimim air base.
4 F-16s looped northwards from the south, past the vicinity of the French Navy's 'Auvergne', on a circuit in international waters approximately 90km off the Syrian coast.
21:40
Initial strike in the western coastal region of Latakia, from NW direction.
The Israeli F-16s then switched on radar jamming and pulled away from the coast, apparently preparing for another attack.
21:51 - 22:40
Syrian air defenses respond to the F-16s patrolling 70 km off the Syrian coast.
One of the jets then approached the Syrian coast -and the Russian plane which at that time was preparing to land- again.
Konashenkov said that the Israeli pilot must have been well aware of the fact that the Il-20 has a much larger radar cross-section than his F-16, and would become a “preferred target” for the Syrian air defense units, who use different friend-or-foe systems with the Russians, . Thus, for the Syrians, the reconnaissance plane could appear as a group of Israeli jets.
“The Israeli jets saw the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 and used it as a shield against the anti-aircraft missiles, while they carried on maneuvering in the region,”
The F-16 was in the immediate vicinity of the Khmeimim air base, where aircraft are on final approach.
22:03
Syrian S-200 strike on IL-20
22:07
The Il-20 disappears from radars.
22:29
The Russian Command notified the Israeli Command of the Mayday from Il-20 and requested that the Israelis F-16 leave. However, it took another 25 mins before Israeli Command acknowledged the message. By which time, the F-16s had departed at 22:40.
Other information
Konashenkov also said during the news briefing that the actions of the Israeli F-16 pilots, either lacked professionalism or were an act of criminal negligence, to say the least. Israel ‘crossed the line of civilized relations’ with ‘ungrateful response’
Konashenkov also stated that "Israel’s negligent behavior amounts to a flagrant violation of the very spirit of cooperation between the countries". Interestingly, he spoke about both Russian and Israeli attitudes to the deconfliction agreement -
The Israelis "received 310 notifications about RuAF missions running close to Israeli territory". Whereas
"During the same time, Israel gave us only 25 notifications, and did so just before attacks."
It has always informed Israel about their missions in advance and has never used its air defense capabilities against the Israelis, even though their airstrikes sometimes put the Russian servicemen in danger.”
Nothing was mentioned about the French Navy FREMM 'Auvergne'.