Statement by President of Russia Vladimir
Putin
April 14, 2018
10:35
On April 14, the United States,
supported by its allies, launched an airstrike against military
and civilian targets in the Syrian Arab Republic. An act
of aggression against a sovereign state that is
on the frontline in the fight against terrorism was committed
without a mandate from the UN Security Council
and in violation of the UN Charter and norms
and principles of international law.
Just as one year ago, when the Shayrat
Airbase in Syria came under attack, the US used
as a pretext a staged chemical attack against civilians, this
time in Douma, a Damascus suburb. Having visited the site
of the would-be chemical attack, Russian military experts did not
find any traces of chlorine or any other toxic agent. Not a single
local resident was able to confirm that a chemical attack had
actually taken place.
The Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons dispatched its experts to Syria in order
to investigate all the circumstances. However, in a sign
of cynical disdain, a group of Western countries decided
to take military action without waiting for the results
of the investigation.
Russia condemns in the strongest possible
terms the attack against Syria, where Russian military personnel are
assisting the legitimate government in its counterterrorism efforts.
Through its actions, the US makes
the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Syria even worse
and brings suffering to civilians. In fact, the US panders
to the terrorists who have been tormenting the Syrian people
for seven years, leading to a wave of refugees fleeing this
country and the region.
The current escalation around Syria is
destructive for the entire system of international relations.
History will set things right, and Washington already bears the heavy
responsibility for the bloody outrage in Yugoslavia, Iraq
and Libya.
Russia will convene an emergency meeting
of the UN Security Council to discuss the aggressive
actions by the US and its allies.
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