On September 16, tensions escalated near Syria’s northern border as a confrontation occurred between a coalition MQ-9 reconnaissance and attack drone and a Russian Su-35 fighter. The incident was reported by RIA News in relation to statements from Rear Admiral Vadim Kulitya, deputy head of Russia’s Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in the Arab Republic.
According to Kulitya, at 11:05 local time and at an altitude around 6,700 meters, the Su-35, on a scheduled mission along the northern Syrian border, engaged in a dangerous approach with the coalition’s MQ-9. He credited the Russian pilot with taking evasive actions that averted a possible midair collision between the aircraft and the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Earlier reports from September 4 indicated that U.S.-led coalition aircraft conducted airstrikes on two targets within Syria’s Homs province. Kulitya stated that four aircraft participated in the operation, including two F-16 fighters and two F-35s. He claimed the jets violated Syrian airspace over the Al-Tanf area and struck the two targets in Homs.
Additionally, there have been ongoing discussions within NATO about conditions related to the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine, with allied officials examining safety, sovereignty, and regional stability considerations. (Source: CPVS statements and related briefings)