Russian Senator Sees No Threat of Direct Confrontation With US in Syria

According to a Russian upper house committee chairman, Russia's suspension of the use of a deconfliction channel over Syrian airspace with the US will not lead to a direct confrontation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia's suspension of the use of a deconfliction channel over Syrian airspace with the United States will not lead to a direct confrontation with US aircraft, a Russian upper house committee chairman told Sputnik on Monday.

"There is every reason to believe that if someone previously had doubts that Russia is taking all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of its aircraft flights in Syria, then these doubts will disappear with the Defense Ministry statement," Victor Ozerov said.

The US-led coalition shot down the Syrian army's Su-22 aircraft on Sunday after it claimed that Syrian aircraft had attacked the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions south of Tabqah.

Ozerov said the Russian Defense Ministry's stern reaction to the US attack on Monday gave him confidence "that neither the US nor anyone else will take any actions that would threaten our aviation."

"In this regard, the threat of direct confrontation between the aviation of Russia and the US does not arise," the Federation Council's Committee on Defense and Security chairman stressed.