Russia accuses US of drone attack on its Syria base

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

The U.S. was behind a drone attack on Russian military bases in Syria this January, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said on Thursday.

On Jan. 6, thirteen drones attacked Russian-controlled Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base in Syria. Six drones were destroyed, while Russian forces got control of seven, landing them at Hmeimim for further examination.

The drones were moving in a common combat battle deployment while a U.S. Poseidon-8 military aircraft was loitering offshore near Syria, Fomin said, speaking at the plenary session of the Xiangshan security forum in Beijing.

"When the drones encountered the action of the Russian jamming system, they moved to manual control mode, which was done from the Poseidon-8," he said.

Fomin also said it was necessary to stop equipping terrorists with high-tech weapons.