A Russian defence official stated that he “totally excludes” terrorism as a possible cause of the crash. The reason given for this exclusion of terrorism as a cause was because the airliner was a military one. Wouldn’t a military target be ideal for some terrorists? Because it was a military plane, surely that would not preclude it from an attack by enemies of Russia.

As a sidebar, didn’t Obama state that the US would respond and retaliate for Russia’s  so-called cyber-attack that helped to elect Trump in “a time of their (US) own choosing”.(r. a. note)

CNS News   Posted Sun., Dec.25, 2016

A Russian official says the crash of a Russian military passenger plane into the Black Sea could have been caused by a technical malfunction or a crew error, but he believes it could not have been terrorism because the plane was operated by the military.

Viktor Ozerov, head of the defense affairs committee at the upper house of Russian parliament, says in remarks carried by the state news agency RIA Novosti that he “totally excludes” terrorism as a possible cause of the crash.

The plane was en route to Russia’s air base in Syria with 92 people on board when it crashed shortly after taking off from the resort town of Sochi. At least one body has been found and there is no word on whether anyone survived.

The Defense Ministry has released a list of the passengers. They include 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, among them its leader, Valery Khalilov. The Alexandrov Ensemble is the official choir of the Russian military, and it also includes a band and a dancing company.

The Russian Defense Ministry says rescuers have found fragments of the Tu-154 plane that was carrying 91 people en route to the Russian military base in Syria.

The ministry said earlier that the plane disappeared from radars shortly after takeoff from the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Sunday. It carried eight crew and 83 passengers, including members of the world-famous Alexandrov military choir.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has sent a condolence letter to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, over the plane that plunged into the sea with 92 people aboard.

Assad says he received news of the crash “with deep grief and sadness.”

Assad expressed his condolences to all the victims’ families, adding that the countries are partners in the war against terrorism.

Source:  http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/latest-assad-sends-plane-crash-condolences-putin