The Russian Defense Ministry will unveil flight path details of the Belgian Air Force jets at the time of the deadly strike on a village near Aleppo in Syria, Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Thursday.
"Russia has effective air defense means to maintain round the clock monitoring of the air situation over almost entire Syria. Besides us, Syrian air defense systems that have been restored over the past year control the airspace. Not to be unfounded, today we will present information about the flight route and the actions of the Belgian Air Force and US Air Force aircraft in Syrian airspace on October 18," Konashenkov said.
The Russian Defense Ministry vowed to present detailed information about the operation of Belgian F-16 jets over Syria to Belgian authorities. The Belgian defense minister is either purposefully misleading the international community or the Belgian Defense Ministry jointly with the United States is deceiving the country’s authorities, Konashenkov said.
"Either Steven Vandeput is purposefully misleading the Belgian and the international community, or his subordinates jointly with their US colleagues are deceiving the authorities of the Kingdom of Belgium."
He specified that Russia registered the takeoff of the jets from Jordan at 01:34 a.m. based on its unique characteristics. At 02:37 a.m. the Belgian jets entered the Syrian airspace. At 03:10 a.m. the F-16 flew 80 km north-east of Raqqa. Afterward, the ministry spokesman said the F-16s patrolled the vicinity of Azaz.
"At 03:55 a.m. local time the jets carried out a strike on the Kurdish village of Hassajek in the Aleppo province. As a result of the bombing, two houses were destroyed, six people killed and four wounded in various degrees of severity," Konashenkov added.
He emphasized that this the US-led coalition bombs civilians.
"This is not the first time the US-led coalition carries out strikes on civilians, while completely denying being guilty for it." "Weddings, funerals, hospitals, police stations, convoys, and even Syrian troops who fight against Daesh terrorists in Deir ez-Zor have been struck."
The US side did not notify Russia of the flight of Belgian aircraft on October 18, when Hassajek village was bombed, Konashenkov said.
"During exchange of information to avoid air incidents, American colleagues usually inform us about planned flights over Syria. However, we have not received any notification about the Belgian jets' flight on October 18," Konashenkov said.
Russian and Syrian combat aircraft did not conduct sorties in the area, the general said.
The Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said it had received local reports of an airstrike by Belgian F-16 fighter jets on Kurdish positions in the village of Hassajek. Neither Russian, nor Syrian aircraft were in the area, while the Belgian defense minister dismissed claims of responsibility.
