Russia, U.S. sign deal to minimize risks in Syrian skies

Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said that although the Russian government insisted that the text of the agreement remain secret, it lays out safety protocols, specifies which frequencies both sides should use to communicate, sets up a hotline on the ground and establishes a working group to talk out further issues.

In Moscow, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that signing the memorandum was a positive step that has “important practical meaning.”

Antonov said Russian and U.S. military officials will set up round-the clock communications channels and “determine the mechanism of interaction, including mutual assistance in crisis situations.”