Russia's military said Tuesday that one of its aircraft with 15 people on board has "disappeared" over Syria's coast. The fate of the crew remains unknown but they are presumed dead.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that an Il-20 plane went off radar 35 kilometers (22 miles) off the Latakia coast late Monday as it was returning to a nearby Russian base.
The Ilyushin 20 is a reconnaissance aircraft with an electronic intelligence platform, equipped with a wide range of antennas, infrared and optical sensors. The aircraft's airborne radar and satellite link allow the Russian military to monitor Syrian skies in real time.
The reasons why the plane disappeared off the Russian military's radar remain unclear.
CNN quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the Russian airplane was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft artillery, as Syrian forces mistook it for an Israeli aircraft.
Russian media was also quick to point a finger at Israel, saying that air traffic controllers at Hmeimim Air Base "lost contact" with the aircraft during "an attack by Israeli F-16 fighter jets on Latakia."
Russian state news agency TASS reported that "the Il-20 went off the radars during the attack of four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia."
Russia's RT news agency also attributed the strike to Israel, saying it targeted a power station and several Syrian army facilities.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Israeli fighter jets were spotted in the area. It called Israel's actions "a deliberate provocation" and accused the IDF of creating a "dangerous situation" in Latakia.
It said that the Syrian military had accidentally shot down the Il-20 after it was indirectly placed in its path by Israel's actions.
One Russian official said Israel had warned Russia about the strike in Syria only one minute beforehand, adding that it was not enough time to get the Russian military plane to safety.
The RIA news agency quoted a Russian defense official as saying that it was "not possible that the Israeli military did not see the Russian plane as it was preparing to land."
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reportedly spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, on Tuesday, and told him that Israel was "fully to blame" for the incident.
A Russian Defense Ministry official said Moscow "reserves right to take appropriate measures after Israel's hostile actions."
The Russian reports were preceded by Syrian media reports saying "foreign jets" and "foreign drones" were spotted over Latakia.
The Syrian Arab News Agency reported an "an hourlong attack on Latakia" saying, "Air defenses have confronted enemy missiles coming from the sea in the direction of Latakia and intercepted a number of them."
SANA said that a "technical research center" and an "aluminum production facility" were damaged in the strike, as was the area's power grid.
The state-run Ikhbariya TV said 10 people sustained minor-to-moderate injuries in the strike.
The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said huge explosions were heard in the city.
The strike targeted the munition depots at the Technical Industry Institution on the eastern outskirts of Latakia, the Observatory said.
It was not immediately clear what activities the state institution was engaged in.
The Israeli military did not comment on the report.
Latakia is a major port city and is considered the main Alawite region affiliated with Syrian President Bashar Assad's family.
The city houses the strategic port of Tartus, which is home to a major Russian naval facility.
Recent intelligence reports suggest that Iran has been using Syrian military facilities in Latakia as part of its plan to build its own naval base there.
