MOSCOW. Sept 18 (Interfax) - Israel notified Russia of the strike on Syria too late and therefore bears direct responsibility for the downing of Russia's Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft and the death of 15 Russian servicemen, a member of the Russian Federation Council's Defense Committee, Franz Klintsevich, told Interfax on Tuesday.
The Russian reconnaissance aircraft "was performing its flight in accordance with the earlier approved plan," he said. The Russian side was notified of the strike on Syria too late, he added.
In this case, "the Israeli Air Force is a provocateur and the cause of the death of 15 of our servicemen," Klintsevich said.
"I see this exactly in this light - no more no less," he said.
"I think that our military needs to quite resolutely raise the issue of a procedure for actions in Syria's airspace," he said adding that "it is necessary to analyze this tragedy, and Russia has no right to put this incident on the back burner."
The Syrian army still uses Soviet-era weapons provided back in the 1960s-70s, Klintsevich said.
"I think that the military will analyze the situation and put forth constructive suggestions in the near future," he said.