MOSCOW. Aug 21 (Interfax) - Aircraft of the U.S.-led international coalition continue to create dangerous situations in Syria by flights in violation of the deconfliction protocols and trespassing on the Syrian airspace, deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said.
"A coalition F-35 fighter jet dangerously approached a Sukhoi Su-35 of the Russian Aerospace Forces on a scheduled flight along the southern border of Syria at the altitude of 9,000 meters in the al-Tanf area between 11:55 a.m. and 12:03 p.m. on August 19. The Russian pilots acted in a highly professional and prompt manner to prevent a collision," Kulit said.
In all, the coalition breached the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019, 16 times over the day by drone flights uncoordinated with Russia, he said.
"Over the past day, the al-Tanf area saw 16 violations by three pairs of F-35 fighters, three pairs of F-16 fighters, a pair of Rafale fighters, and two MQ-1C multirole unmanned aerial vehicles of the coalition," Kulit said.
The coalition continues to create the risk of aviation incidents and accidents and escalates tensions in the Syrian airspace by such actions, he said.