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Conflict in Syria

Russian diplomat calls US strike on Syria 'treacherous act of aggression'

"A serious blow has been delivered on prospects for political settlement in the country that has been suffering from a severe domestic conflict for seven years," a Russian diplomat said

THE HAGUE, April 16. /TASS/. The strikes on Syrian facilities delivered by the United States and its allies are a treacherous act of aggression against a sovereign state, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Alexander Shulgin said on Monday after an OPCW Executive Council session.

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"On our part, we consider the latest military adventure undertaken by the United States and its allies as a treacherous act of aggression against a sovereign state, against Syria, a member of the United Nations and the OPCW. A serious blow has been delivered on prospects for political settlement in the country that has been suffering from a severe domestic conflict for seven years. We described what happened in Douma, a Damascus’ suburb, as a flagrant provocation both we and the Syrians have been repeatedly warning the UN Security Council and the OPCW," he said.

Earlier, Russia suggested the OPCW Executive Council pass a brief resolution in support of the organization’s fact-finding mission in Syria. The Council however refused from putting this resolution to voting.

On April 14, the United States, France and the United Kingdom delivered a massive strike on Syrian targets in bypassing of the United Nations Security Council. According to the Russian defense ministry, the missile strike was in the small hours on Saturday. The ministry reported that a total of 103 cruise and air-to-surface missiles had been fired, 71 of them were shot down by Syria’s air defense units. Three civilians were wounded. Neither of the missiles appeared in the zone of responsibility of Russian air defense systems in Tartus and Hmeymim. Russian missile defense systems were not used.

The United States, the UK and France said the strikes had been a response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria’s Douma.

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