The Russian defense ministry issued a statement Friday claiming that overnight airstrikes in the Damascus area, which they attribute to Israel, risked a civilian flight carrying 172 passengers.
According to the Russian army, an Airbus 320 aircraft tried to land at the airport in Damascus at the time but was forced to land at another airport in northwestern Syria.
"It has become a working method for the Israeli Air Force to use a civilian aircraft as a shield against Syrian anti-aircraft systems," read the statement issued by Moscow.