Russia downs drone near its Syria air base - TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's military said it had shot down a drone that came close to its Syrian air base at Hmeimim on Saturday and was launched from the Idlib "de-escalation" zone controlled by what Moscow calls "illegal military groups", TASS agency reported.

The drone caused no casualties or damage, and the Hmeimim air base is operating as normal, the agency said.

(Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Hugh Lawson)