Russia threatens to strike US naval and air forces in Syria
The Russian Defense Ministry is ready to take countermeasures against a possible U.S. missile strike against Damascus if there is a threat to the Russian military, stated the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov, Radio Liberty reports.
“In the institutions and facilities of the Syrian Ministry of Defense in Damascus, there are also Russian military advisers, representatives of the Center for reconciliation of warring parties and military police. In the event of a threat to the lives of our servicemen, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will respond, targeting any missiles and launch systems involved,” he said.
Earlier, the United States warned that they are ready to act in Syria to stop attacks with chemical weapons and “inhuman suffering” if Russia, Iran and Syria continue to ignore the 30-day ceasefire approved by the United Nations.
On March 12, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said in the UN Security Council that the ceasefire, approved two weeks ago, has failed.
The U.S. is proposing a new 30-day ceasefire, which, she said, “has no counterterrorism loopholes,” so Syrian President Bashar Assad and others cannot ignore it.