Russia on Tuesday summoned the Israeli ambassador after a Russian plane was shot down over Syria, an incident Moscow has blamed on the Israeli air force.

“The Israeli ambassador has been summoned to the foreign ministry over the situation,” a ministry representative told AFP.

Ambassador Gary Koren’s deputy Keren Cohen Gat, currently the charge d’affaires at the Israeli embassy, went to the foreign ministry on Tuesday for a meeting of about 30 minutes.

She refused to comment to media as she exited the building.

The Russian Il-20 warplane with 15 people on board was shot down by the Syrian air defense late Monday.

Russia’s defense ministry said “full blame” rests with the Israeli aircraft which carried out strikes on Syria’s Latakia province and “used the Russian plane as a cover”.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the matter with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday, warning that Moscow could retaliate with unspecified “measures”.

Source: AFP