Reports by CNN Turkish that Russian warplanes on at least four separate occasions buzzed the American destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Eastern Med have been denied by the Russians. Indeed that would have been unlikely since until recently Cook was anchored in Cyprus, quite a distance from Syria.

A different, earlier incident where the Russians buzzed a French warship which was much closer appears to be true however. Reuters:

A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday. The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency. France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place. The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed. The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France’s contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

Aquitaine which Reuters calls a destroyer is actually a helicopter-carrying frigate. It is the only French ship in theater capable of firing cruise missiles and would therefore be part of the anticipated US-French-British attack on Syria.

The French deemed the overfly was conducted at an alarmingly low attitude and tried to complain to the Russians who did not bother picking up the phone:

“The flight took place several days ago,” a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter. “Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified,” the source said. The Russian air force has already carried out such “aggressive” flights over Western warships in the past. In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water. Phone calls to the Russian defence ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday.

Meanwhile Russian jets over Syria are being spotted carrying anti-ship missiles:

A Russian Su-34 fighter jet armed with what looks like Kh-35 cruise anti-ship missiles has just been spotted over the Syrian city of Tartus. According to reports from local sources, this is not the only Russian jet armed with Kh-35 cruise missiles, which are now flying in this part of Syria and in eastern Mediterranean. The Kh-35U is a jet-launched version of the Kh-35 subsonic cruise anti-ship missile. It has a HE fragmentation shaped charge warhead and the operational range of at least 300km.

Indeed a real Russian strike on French or American ships would not take place at close range. Instead the Russians would fire weapons like the Kh-35 from afar. </s> PARIS (Reuters) - A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.

France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place.

The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed.

The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France’s contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

“The flight took place several days ago,” a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter.

“Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified,” the source said.

The Russian air force has already carried out such “aggressive” flights over Western warships in the past.

In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water.

Phone calls to the Russian defence ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday. </s> PARIS (Reuters) - A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.

France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place.

The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed.

The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France's contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

"The flight took place several days ago," a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter.

"Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified," the source said.

The Russian air force has already carried out such "aggressive" flights over Western warships in the past.

In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water.

Phone calls to the Russian defence ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday. </s> PARIS - A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place.The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed.The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France's contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq."The flight took place several days ago," a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter."Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified," the source said.The Russian air force has already carried out such "aggressive" flights over Western warships in the past.In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water. Phone calls to the Russian defense ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday. </s> PARIS: A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.

France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place.

The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed.

The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France's contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

"The flight took place several days ago," a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter.

"Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified," the source said.

The Russian air force has already carried out such "aggressive" flights over Western warships in the past.

In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water.

Phone calls to the Russian defence ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday. </s> PARIS (Reuters) - A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.

 France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place. 

 The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed. 

 The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France's contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

 "The flight took place several days ago," a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter.

 "Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified," the source said. 

 The Russian air force has already carried out such "aggressive" flights over Western warships in the past.

 In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water.

 Phone calls to the Russian defence ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday. 

 

 (Reporting by Sophie Louet and John Irish; Editing by Richard Lough) </s> PARIS - A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place.The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed.The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France's contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq."The flight took place several days ago," a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter."Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified," the source said.The Russian air force has already carried out such "aggressive" flights over Western warships in the past.In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water. Phone calls to the Russian defense ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday.

var cont = `Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>



`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; (function (v, i){ }); </s> PARIS, April 10 (Reuters) - A Russian warplane this weekend flew over a French warship at low altitude in the eastern Mediterranean, a deliberate breach of international regulations, a French naval source said on Tuesday.

The incident, first reported by Le Point magazine, comes as tensions mount between Russia and Western nations following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 7. At least 60 people were killed in the attack, according to a Syrian relief agency.

France, the United States and their allies are considering a coordinated military response after accusing the Russia-backed Syrian government of being behind the attack. Damascus and Moscow have denied a chemical attack took place.

The weekly magazine said the Russian plane had flown over frigate Aquitaine over the weekend and was fully-armed.

The Aquitaine is equipped with 16 cruise missiles and 16 surface-to-air missiles. It is currently operating off Lebanese shores alongside U.S. ships as part of France's contingent fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

"The flight took place several days ago," a French naval source said, adding that France had contacted Russian authorities over the matter.

"Passes by military aircraft over warships are things that happen at sea. When it is deemed too close, the opposing party is notified," the source said.

The Russian air force has already carried out such "aggressive" flights over Western warships in the past.

In April 2016 two Russian warplanes flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, so low they created wake in the water.

Phone calls to the Russian defence ministry in Moscow were not answered after business hours on Tuesday. (Reporting by Sophie Louet and John Irish; Editing by Richard Lough) </s> A Russian military jet carrying 14 servicemen vanished from radar over the Mediterranean Sea late Monday as Syria came under attack by Israeli missiles, the defence ministry said.

“Connection has been lost with the crew of a Russian Il-20 plane over the Mediterranean Sea 35 kilometres from the Syrian coast as it was returning to the Hmeimim airbase,” the Russian defence ministry said early Tuesday.

The fate of the military personnel is “unknown,” the ministry said in a statement which was carried by Russian news agencies. A search for the plane was underway.

A search-and-rescue source told the Interfax news agency that the Russian warplane could have sunk in the Mediterranean Sea as a result of an “unforeseen critical incident” in the air.

The ministry said that the jet had gone off the radar around 11pm Monday (local time) during an attack by four Israeli F-16 jets over Syrian infrastructure in the province of Latakia, a stronghold of president Bashar al-Assad.

RIA Novosti news agency, citing a security source, said that Syrian anti-defence systems had countered a rocket attack.

There was no immediate comment from the Syrian government.

An Israeli military spokeswoman when asked about both the reported Israeli strike and the Russian plane said: “We don’t comment on foreign reports.”

A Pentagon spokesman said the United States was not involved and declined to provide further details.

“The missiles were not fired by the US military and we have nothing further at this time,” he said.

The Russian defence ministry also said that rockets had been launched from the French Navy’s frigate, The Auvergne, which was in the area at the time.

“The French army denies any involvement in this attack,” a French army spokesman said.

The jet vanished from radar just hours after Russia said there would be no assault against Syria’s Idlib as the presidents of Russia and Turkey agreed to create a “demilitarised zone” in the rebel-held province.

After more than four hours of talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin at his residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said their two countries would “prevent a humanitarian tragedy.”

Putin said the two leaders agreed to create a 15-20 kilometre-wide demilitarised zone along the line of contact between rebels and regime troops by October 15.

This would entail a “withdrawal of all radical fighters” from Idlib including the Al-Nusra Front and also the withdrawal of heavy weaponry including tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, Putin said.

Russia-backed forces of the Syrian regime have massed around Idlib province in recent weeks, sparking fears of an imminent air and ground attack to retake the last major opposition bastion.

Russia intervened in the Syrian conflict to buttress the Assad regime in 2015.

Russia has previously lost aircraft during its Syria campaign.

In November 2015, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border, triggering a severe crisis in ties with Moscow.
France claims that a Russian military plane made a low pass over the warship Aquitaine off the Lebanese coast, claiming the aircraft was in deliberate breach of international law.