MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. In a show of solidarity with Syria, which was attacked by Western countries on Saturday, Muscovites are bringing flowers to the Arab country’s embassy in downtown Moscow, a TASS correspondent reports from the scene.
Even though no casualties were reported among Syrian civilians and servicemen in the missile strike by the US and its allies so far, Muscovites have deemed it their duty to support Syrians on the tragic day.
"We want ordinary Syrian people to know that Russians are with them and are expressing their solidarity," a young man called Sergei who has brought flowers to the Syrian embassy said in an interview with TASS.
Russia has strongly condemned the missile strike by the United States, France and Great Britain against Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that by these actions "the United States is increasingly exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria and bringing sufferings to civilians" and "conniving at terrorists."
Russia is also convening an emergency session of the UN Security Council. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said Russia will provide data and facts on the Western countries’ missile strike against Syria at the UN Security Council’s session.
Missile strike against Syria
According to data of Russia’s Defense Ministry, the missile strike against Syria’s military and civilian infrastructures was carried out by US planes and naval ships in cooperation with British and French air forces between 03:42 and 05:10 Moscow time on Saturday.
As the Russian Defense Ministry reported, the Syrian air defenses shot down 71 out of 103 missiles fired by the United States and its allies.
The United States, Britain and France said the strikes were in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria’s Douma.
On April 7, a number of NGOs, including the White Helmets, alleged that chemical weapons were used in Douma, Eastern Ghouta. According to the statement published on the organization’s website on April 8, chlorine bombs had been dropped on the city, killing dozens and poisoning many locals who had to be brought to the hospital.
The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed that report as fake news. The Defense Ministry added that the White Helmets were notorious for spreading falsehoods.
Representatives of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the Warring Sides held a probe in Douma on April 9 but found no traces of chemical weapons use. On April 10, Damascus sent an official invitation to the OPCW to visit Eastern Ghouta. On the same day, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said the organization had made a decision to send its experts to Syria.
OPCW experts were due to begin their probe at the scene of the alleged chemical attack on Saturday.