A F-18 fighter-bomber of the US-led coalition came dangerously close to a Russian military reconnaissance aircraft An-30 in the area of At Tanf, in the province of Homs in Syria, TASS reported, quoted by BTA.
The pilots of the Russian plane prevented a collision in time, reported the deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring States, Captain 1st Rank Oleg Ignasyuk.
"On August 17, from 11:05 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Moscow time (and Bulgarian - note ed.) in the area of At Tanf in the province of Homs at an altitude of 6700 m, there was a dangerous approach of a fighter- a coalition F-18 bomber with an An-30 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces making a scheduled flight in Syrian airspace. The Russian pilots, demonstrating high professionalism, promptly took the necessary measures to prevent a collision," the Russian military said.
Ignasiuk specified that 18 violations of Syrian airspace by three pairs of F-15 fighters, a pair of "Typhoon" fighters, two pairs of F-18 fighter-bombers and three pairs A-10 attack aircraft of the US-led coalition.
Reuters points out that it cannot independently confirm these figures.
The US Department of Defense has not yet responded to Reuters' requests for comment on the subject.