Russia warns against attacking Damascus, says West is lying
Moscow accuses the United States of wanting to interfere in Russia's presidential election and of concocting fake news about a pending Syrian chemical strike against civilians, and it says it's being falsely blamed for the spy poisoning in the UK.
MOSCOW — Moscow plans to respond to any US strike on Syria and will target any missiles and launchers involved in such an attack, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the head of the Russian General Staff, warned Tuesday.
“The US seeks to use [any alleged] provocation … as a pretext to strike government areas in Damascus,” Gerasimov told state-operated news agency RIA.
“We have credible information that militants are now preparing to stage the use of chemical weapons on civilians by the Syrian government forces. For this goal, the militants have brought to eastern Ghouta people, including women, children and elders, from other areas. These people have to play victims of this staged chemical attack. The White Helmets with their cameramen are already there for live broadcasts,” said Gerasimov.
He added that the Russian military has discovered a lab used for poisonous chemical production in the terrorist-freed town of Aftriss.
