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Conflict in Syria

No evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian troops — Putin

The Russian president reiterated that the US strike on a Syrian airfield was a clear violation of the international law

© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian President's Press Service/TASS

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. The US violated the international law by launching an airstrike on a Syrian military airfield without providing any evidence of the use of chemical weapons by the Damascus government, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with the Mir TV channel.

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"How did NATO allies reacted? They have all been nodding like bobbleheads, without analyzing the events. Where is evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian troops? There is none. Was there a breach of the international law? Yes, there was. This is an evident fact. Without an approval by the UN Security Council, an airstrike is carried out on a sovereign country. And, despite it being a clear violation of the international law, everyone agrees to it, accepts it and starts nodding (in approval) and expressing their support," Putin said in a preview of the interview, published on the channel’s website Wednesday.

Earlier, the Russian president compared the ongoing accusations about the use of chemical weapons in Syria with the 2003 events when US used chemical weapons in Iraq it as a pretext to unleash a military campaign in the country.

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Kremlin comments on Ivanka Trump’s 'role' in Syria strikes

The full version of the interview will be aired on Wednesday evening.

On April 7, US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Syria’s Shayrat military air base located in the Homs Governorate. The attack, involving 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles, came as a response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Idlib Governorate on April 4. The US authorities believe that the airstrike on Idlib was launched from the Shayrat air base, but failed to provide any evidence of the use of chemical weapons so far.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier condemned the strike as an act of aggression against a sovereign state.

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Vladimir Putin Syrian conflict

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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US agrees to withdraw troops from Niger — Washington Post

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

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Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

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S-500 system to be supplied to Armed Forces after 2015

Victor Gumenny said the advanced systems may solve the tasks of air-space defence and may fight hypersonic weapons

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

Bentley came to Donbass from the United States in 2014

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves