A Russian reconnaissance plane that disappeared over the Mediterranean with 15 crew aboard was shot down in error by Syrian forces, the Kremlin has admitted as it blamed Israel for putting the aircraft in the firing line.

Russia said its Il-20 military aircraft was preparing to land at Hmeymim airbase in Latakia province when, at about 8pm GMT on Monday, it disappeared from radar some 20 miles off the Syrian coast.

Moscow’s defence ministry initially said the disappearance had taken place during French and Israeli missile strikes in the Latakia area of northwestern Syria that prompted an anti-aircraft barrage.

Later on Tuesday morning the Kremlin said allied Syrian forces had inadvertently downed the plane, but heaped the blame on Israel for “irresponsible actions” – saying the country had launched air strikes by four F-16 jets with just one minute’s warning, triggering the defensive response.

There was not enough time to get the Il-20 out of harm’s way, the RIA news agency quoted Russia’s defence ministry as saying. The BBC quoted the ministry as saying: ”Using the Russian airplane as a cover, Israeli pilots put it in the line of fire coming from Syrian air defence systems.”

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu has told his Israeli counterpart Russia holds the Middle Eastern nation responsible, Russian television reported.

The Israeli military said in a statement that its jets were already within Israeli airspace when the incident took place, while offering condolences over the death of the Russian crew – but said it held the Syrian government “fully responsible.” It also blamed Iran and Hezbollah for what it described as an “unfortunate incident”.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Israel and Russia have maintained a dedicated hotline to prevent their air forces clashing over Syria for several years, with Israeli officials having previously praised its effectiveness.

Following Monday’s loss of life, Russia’s defence ministry was reported as saying it reserved the right to take “appropriate measures” over what it called Israel’s deliberate provocation, adding it did not believe the Israeli military was unaware of the reconnaissance aircraft’s location.

Syrian state media reported the country’s coastal city of Latakia had come under attack by “enemy missiles” and that Syrian defence batteries had fired in response.

Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Show all 20 1 / 20 Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps This young child hides under the cover of endless white nylon tent sheeting from new visitors entering the camp. The hesitancy to engage soon passes and curiosity follows as he is interested to discover more about Muslim Aid. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps In Enmaa camp, Wardi takes a neighbour’s child onto her knee. She has 4 children of her own; they left Homs in 2013 after heavy bombardments and a lack of food. They travelled for 4 days to reach the border. Years on they still suffer acute hunger at times. Muslim Aid Food voucher scheme is literally sustaining and changing lives in these camps. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Taima, (Enmaa camp Lebanon) picks the very few flowers with her friends off the perimeter of the camp floor and hands them to a member of the Muslim Aid team. These acts of kindness are so incredibly powerful to see. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Zaynab currently lives in Suleyman camp in Mohamra, Lebanon in a small tent housing 15 people in two rooms. Zaynab fled Syria in 2013 and travelled through fields and mountains to reach the Lebanese border, traumatised by the fear of planes, bombs and grenades. The family are currently in great need of food and gas. Bread has become very expensive and inaffordable. In her tent was a basket of bread that was stale and mouldy. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Sumayya, Murfat’s youngest sister, peers out from their tent. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps A father attempts to create some normality by teaching his youngest son how to ride his first bike in between the network of tents and alleyways in the camp. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Malik 8 and Hazayfa 5 at Suleyman camp are amongst those fortunate to benefit from schools nearby offering classes after normal hours. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Mothers and wives are left to spend their days in the camps with memories of losing husbands fathers and sons causing in Syria and during their journey to the safety of neighbouring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps It is truly amazing the defiance and resilience these children to show that they refuse to give up smiling regardless of how terrible their journey was that brought them to Enmaa camp. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Suleyman camp, Lebanon - many people have medical issues and can’t afford treatment, so cash is desperately needed to provide this support. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Murfat 3, lives with her mother and sister in a shelter provided. Their clothes, damp from the morning showers, left to dry in the porch of the tent by the air which is warm and thick with flies. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Mohammed, 2, Suleyman camp, Lebanon. There are 250,000 Syrian refugees in northern Lebanon alone. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Al Inmar camp, Lebanon. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Malaak, 11, in Suleyman camp, Lebanon. Here children are living in tents which leak in the rain and are too flimsy to shield them from the cold in winter. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps 16 yr old Homam in front of his mobile phone repair business as a result of micro-finance loan from Muslim Aid. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps A young girl looks out across the geography of Enmaa Camp and beyond to the horizon of the coastline. The 250 tents have been squeezed onto a small plot of land amongst a smart residential neighbourhood and acres of poly tunnels growing fruit and vegetables. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Hayaan, just 3 year-old, in Suleyman camp, Lebanon, makes the sign for victory or peace. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps White chalked lines replaced by empty oil drums fashioned into makeshift rubbish bins mark out the perimeter of the pitch. Hamaad, 8 years-old, likes to play football in the wasteland around the tents. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Many of Sulayman’s residents had previously been surviving on donated bags of mouldy bread and some even fasting voluntarily long before the start of Ramadan. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Sumaha, 10 years-old (Suleyman camp in Lebanon), talks to us with her friends before they leave the camp to attend a class at a nearby school. Photos Paddy Dowling

According to the BBC’s foreign media monitoring service, Syrian media reported explosions over Latakia shortly before 7pm.

Unnamed US officials told reporters that Washington also believed the electronic reconnaissance plane had been mistakenly shot down by Syria, Russia’s ally.

Moscow has been a key backer of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, during the brutal civil war that has raged since 2011.

Russian and Iranian support has helped Mr Assad attain near-victory in the conflict at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, including many civilians. United Nations reports said Syrian government forces had used chemical weapons numerous times, including at least three instances in 2018.

The disappearance of the Russian aircraft came after Vladimir Putin forged a surprise agreement with Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan that would forestall military operations to retake Idlib, the last rebel holdout.

Turkey has been involved in the war on the side of the opposition to Mr Assad’s regime, though has fought against Isis and Kurdish opposition forces.

Mr Erdogan called the agreement a “memorandum of understanding”. The two leaders agreed at a summit in Sochi, on the Black Sea, to set up a demilitarised area between rebel and government forces in Idlib.