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Conflict in Syria

Russia’s General Staff believes Syrian army has no reasons to use chemical weapons

The Russian general says the Syrian forces has no chemical weapons at all

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. The Syrian army is pushing ahead with a successful offensive on the positions of terrorists and it has no need for using any such weapons, Head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operations Department Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoi said on Tuesday

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Russian military brass reiterates terrorists in Syria use chemical weapons

The Russian general added that the Syrian forces had no chemical weapons at all.

"In a situation like this, the Bashar Assad government has no need for using chemical weapons. Moreover, the Syrian army has none," he said.

About 3,500 square meters of Syrian land retaken

Syrian government troops since the beginning of this year have retaken from terrorists 226 communities and about 3,500 square kilometers of land, the chief of the main operations directorate of Russia’s General Staff, Colonel-General Sergey Rudskoi, told a news briefing on Tuesday.

In the northeast of Aleppo province government troops over the past two weeks eliminated a surrounded group of terrorists near Dayr Hafir and are now pushing ahead with the offensive along the Western bank of the Euphrates.

"By now the Syrian army has moved forward by ten kilometers to approach the Jahra airdrome," Rudskoi said.

"Russian sappers are clearing the ancient city of Palmyra of mines and explosive objects. As of today, 21 socially important facilities have been demined, including ten schools, nine mosques and two outpatient clinics," Rudskoi said.

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He said 1,894 buildings and apartment blocks have been checked on a territory of 1,135 hectares, as well as 115 kilometers of roads. More than 5,000 bombs and self-made explosive devices have been defused.

On order of US President Donald Trump, the US military fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from its warships in the Mediterranean on an air base in the Syrian province of Homs on Thursday night. The missile strike was delivered in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian province of Idlib on April 4. The US leadership believes that the alleged chemical attack was launched from that airfield.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry’s data, the Syrian aircraft hit workshops on April 4 where terrorists were producing munitions with chemical agents supplied to Iraq and used in Aleppo.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow considered the US missile strikes on the air base in Homs as an aggression against a sovereign state.

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Syrian conflict

Military operation in Ukraine

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Rafael Grossi may visit Russia in late May

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The resolution gained 13 votes

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Russia’s victory in Ukraine to change course of history in Europe — von der Leyen

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

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Press review: US tries to strong-arm China and Zelensky's bid to bring men home

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Russia presents world’s first hydrogen-fueled luxury car at Innoprom exhibition

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White House alleges that Russia working on satellite carrying nuclear device

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US waging hybrid war against Serbs to snuff them out for good — Republika Srpska head

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Modern weapons make up 82% in Russian air defense troops — Shoigu

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US effectively dooms Ukraine by its new decisions, Russian envoy says

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Russian tourists flock to North Korea — embassy

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Dust from Sahara turns rain in Ukraine yellow

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Russia discourages use of UN sanctions for interference in African affairs — envoy

Vasily Nebenzya underscored that Russia continues to "make an important contribution to strengthening of African countries’ potential, including UN Security Council and General Assembly"

Russian athletes have right to decide on Olympic participation — aide

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be able to compete only under a neutral status, provided that they are not associated with security agencies and do not represent team sports

Global community changing tune about how Ukraine conflict started — security official

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Russia to retaliate immediately if Kiev gets ATACMS missiles — diplomat

Konstantin Gavrilov also noted that the "manic efforts" of some Western OSCE member countries to isolate Russia "are futile and will backfire on their initiators"

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Gagauzia against Chisinau’s policy of severing ties with Russia

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Moscow slams NATO drills near Russian borders as inflammatory

"It is obvious that the upcoming combat training on the territory of Finland is part of a hybrid war against our country," Maria Zakharova said

Russian defense minister dismisses his deputy Ivanov

Timur Ivanov was removed from the office of deputy defense minister of the Russian Federation of the federal government’s civil service

Belarus responds to threats with preventive deterrence measures — defense minister

Viktor Khrenin emphasized that provocations by Western countries could become a catalyst for unleashing a military conflict

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Over 330 bodies recovered from mass grave at hospital in Khan Yunis — TV

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Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

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Top US diplomat Blinken arrives in Shanghai

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Russian court blocks JPMorgan’s funds in VTB lawsuit

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Ukraine exhausted, needs constant money flow from outside — defense official

Apty Alaudinov added that if the Ukrainian army received long-range weapons, it might try to attack Russia's civilian infrastructure due to its powerlessness on the front

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

The Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on five Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

Kiev violates diplomatic relations convention by recruiting mercenaries abroad — diplomat

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Continued threats to Pyongyang to put US, allies in danger, Kim Jong Un’s sister warns

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Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

According to Sergey Ryabkov, discussions around the deployment of NATO nuclear facilities in Poland are an "unfolding story"

Ukrainian troops in Kharkov Region lift antennas with kites to get better signal

Military expert Andrey Marochko speculated that the Ukrainian army had to resort to this tactic because the TV tower in Kharkov was damaged

Russia, Africa united by common vision on global issues — senior diplomat

Mikhail Bogdanov noted that "the African continent is a dynamically developing part of the world with an enormous growth potential, attractive domestic market and expanding export prospects"