This morning Russia released an announcement stating that any and all aircraft entering Syrian airspace will be immediately shot down without warning.  

This, apparently, includes Russia’s own military aircraft.

General Yuri Bigbangskivich, spokesman for the ministry of blowing things up, said,

“We want to make it absolutely clear that any attempt to enter Syrian airspace will result in us blowing you into tiny little pieces.”

He went on to say,

“This should be considered our first and only warning.”

The Russians were quick to act on their threats, by shooting down a Russian Antonov An-148 transport jet. It is believed that 35 high ranking Russian government and military officials, who were on the An-148, were killed when it was hit.

Military analysts have said that the missile was likely to be an NPO R-77 air-to-air missile.  This class of missile is the standard armament of Russian Sukhoi Su-30 attack jets.

The Sukhoi Su-30 attack jet which had been scrambled to destroy the transporter was also shot down by a ground-to-air missile moments later.

It is believed that the ground-to-air missile was launched from the same airbase from which both the An-148 and Su-30 departed several minutes earlier.