Russian An-26 Military Plane Dodges U.S. MQ-9, MQ-1 UAVs in Syria

A Russian An-26 military transport plane has dodged two U.S. combat drones – MQ-9 and MQ-1 – in Syria’s north while performing a resupply mission for Russian troops deployed in the country.

"The U.S.-led, so-called international anti-terrorist coalition keeps sending unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fitted with combat gear, to perform unauthorized flights in the airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic," Deputy Head of Russia’s Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria Major General Oleg Yegorov told reporters on Tuesday.

"At 07:25 Moscow time on October 3, an An-26 plane of the military-transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces, performing a resupply flight for Russian military units, had to dodge a collision with U.S.-made MQ-9 and MQ-1 UAVs that followed its route in the north of Syria," he said.

The official added that Monday’s incident was the latest in a string of the U.S. side’s “violation” of the October 20, 2015, bilateral agreement on preventing air incidents and ensuring flight safety in the Syrian airspace.