Russian MoD hints at acquitting Syria of downing Il-20

In a statement Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defense  “refuted the claim that the IL20 hit was due to failure of friend/foe identification.” DEBKAfile’s military sources note that this “discovery“ was released while Israel’s Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Nurkin was on his way to Moscow with data from the IDF probe of the Ilyushin plane crash – before his arrival. The Russian investigation is clearly resolved to dismiss Israel’s findings that the plane was shot down by accidental Syrian missile fire and by then Israeli planes were already back at home base from their Latakia raid.