Last week, the bank Russian Finance Corporation (RFC) fell under US sanctions. It was the primary bank for transactions between Syria and Russia, The Bell news outlet writes.

Officially the US government stated that RFC was included on the sanctions list because it belongs to Rosoboronexport, which has shipped billions of dollars of weapons to Syria in the last decade, and has also given material, financial and technological support to the country’s government.

One of The Bell’s sources out …

Denmark has decided to give permission for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, but only if Russia guarantees to continue gas transit to Europe through Ukraine, Deutsche Welle reports.

"In this regard, the Ukrainian matter is crucial," Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Thursday, April 12, in Berlin after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Rasmussen noted that the Danish government had not yet given its consent to the construction of a gas pipeline …

Syrian government troops took full control of the city of Douma, which was the final rebel bastion in Eastern Ghouta, the Russian Defense Ministry stated. The Ministry also reported that Russia has brought military police units into Douma. 

On April 8, doctors and emergency response groups working in Syria reported that a chemical attack could have occurred in Douma, claiming an estimated 70 victims. 

President of the United States Donald Trump accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s …

The zone over the Mediterranean sea area off the Syrian coast has been labeled “dangerous” for civil aviation flights due to British military activity. Warnings were sent to European and Russian air carriers operating flights in the area, Interfax reported, citing a source familiar with the situation.

"A restricted zone has been declared from April 12 to May 12 for civil aviation flights,” noted the source, “in connection with the activity of the British military over the Mediterranean Sea in …

Germany does not intend to be involved in military action in Syria, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced, as reported by Die Welt.

Merkel also said that Berlin will nevertheless do all it can to demonstrate that the use of chemical weapons is inadmissible.

The day before, head of Germany’s “Greens” party Jürgen Trittin urged the German government to oppose the United States’ military response to the chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta. This idea also received support by other Bundestag …

US President Donald Trump’s tweets undermined the attack planned by the anti-Assad coalition against the Syrian state regime, which has been using chemical weapons against the civilian population, The Times reports.

According to the British newspaper, for the attack, the US amassed the largest air and sea strike forces since the war in Iraq in 2003.

However, the chance of a surprise attack was ruined when the US president openly threatened Russia with a swift attack, rendering virtually all …

American intelligence officials have evidence of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma, reported NBC News, citing sources in the intelligence community.

According to the news network, intelligence officials received blood and urine samples of the victims.

The samples tested positive for chemical warfare agents - chlorine gas and an unnamed nerve agent. The samples were collected by U.S. intelligence and allied intelligence agencies through hospitals at the scene.

Sources …

During a Senate hearing for his confirmation as U.S. Secretary of State, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said that “a couple hundred” Russians were killed in Syria a few weeks ago.

“A handful of weeks ago, the Russians met their match. A couple hundred Russians were killed,” Pompeo said.

He mentioned the incident as an example of the U.S. administration’s actions aimed at containing Russia, along with the expulsion of 60 diplomats. The comment was in answer to a question about whether or not the …