MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and Israel are “in constant contact” regarding the downing of a Russian plane in Syria this month, Russian news agencies quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying on Friday.

Fifteen Russian crew were killed when an IL-20 surveillance plane crashed near Latakia in northern Syria on Sept. 17. Russia has said Syria shot the plane down shortly after Israeli jets hit a target in the area and blamed Israel for the accident.

Bogdanov also said that work on the creation of a demilitarized zone in Syria’s Idlib were continuing, Interfax reported.