Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft Shot Down by Syrian S-200 Missile (RF-93610)

Incident Overview and Timeline A four-engine aircraft departed Hmeimim Air Force Base, located southeast of Latakia, at 2031 local time on a maritime patrol and reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean Sea. Approximately one and a half hours after takeoff, while returning to its base, the aircraft was struck by an S-200 surface-to-air missile fired by Syrian ground forces. At the time of the incident, four Israeli F-16 fighters were engaged in a ground attack on several infrastructure targets in the Latakia region. The aircraft lost control and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea approximately 35 kilometers west of Latakia. The following morning, Russian authorities confirmed the loss of the aircraft, stating it had been inadvertently shot down by Syrian Army forces. All 15 crew members were killed in the accident.