An MQ-9 reconnaissance drone operating with the international coalition came within a hair’s breadth of a Russian Su-35 fighter jet above Syrian airspace. This near miss was disclosed by Vadim Kulit, who serves as the deputy head of the Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, an agency tied to the Russian defense apparatus. The disclosure was made through the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation’s official communications channels.
According to a Russian defense ministry spokesperson, the Russian pilot maintained a high degree of professionalism and executed timely maneuvering to avert any possibility of collision. The pilot’s actions were described as decisive and safety-focused, demonstrating operational discipline under tense and rapidly shifting aerial conditions.
In a later clarification, the spokesperson noted that when a coalition F-35 appeared to close in on the Su-35 in the Al-Tanf corridor, Russian aviators again responded with rapid, disciplined measures to prevent a collision. The report underscored the vulnerability of close-quarters air operations and the narrow margins that can govern decisions at altitude when multiple actors operate in a contested region.
The official assessment emphasized that such maneuvers, though intended to protect aircraft, can inadvertently generate dangerous conditions for aviation, heightening the risk of miscalculation or an unintended escalation. Observers warned that the Syrian airspace is showing signs of increasing volatility, with several incidents in recent periods highlighting the fragility of deconfliction arrangements among various air powers operating in the area.
Earlier statements asserted that the US-led coalition had breached de-escalation protocols in Syria on multiple occasions within a single day, signaling to observers a pattern that complicates efforts to stabilize aerial operations over the region. These developments contribute to a broader narrative about the challenges of coordinating air activity among diverse forces with divergent strategic aims in Syria.
Additionally, authorities in Moscow referenced the deployment of new drone suppression measures as part of a broader security posture designed to mitigate risks to aerospace assets and to preserve the integrity of flight operations in a volatile theater. The reported steps are viewed within Russia as a component of ongoing efforts to deter, deter, and if necessary respond to any incursions that threaten air sovereignty and safety in contested skies.