MOSCOW -- A Russian pilot was killed after his plane was shot down by militants in Syria's Province of Idlib, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"A Russian Su-25 aircraft crashed during a flight over the Idlib de-escalation area," the ministry said in the statement.

"The pilot died in a fight with the terrorists," the statement said, adding that preliminary information showed that the plane was downed by use of a man-portable anti-aircraft missile system.

"The Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria and the Turkish side overseeing the Idlib de-escalation area are working to bring the Russian pilot's body home," it said.

The pilot had reported earlier that he ejected by parachute in the area, controlled by Nusra Front militants.