Russian President: Attack on Syria ‘Act of Aggression’ against Sovereign State Fighting Terror

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack against Syria “act of aggression” against the country which is combating terrorism on its soil, adding that Russian servicemen help legitimate government to fight terrorist threat in the country.

Putin has vehemently condemned the US-led missile strikes against Syria, which “aggravate humanitarian catatrophe, inflict suffering on civilian population and connive at terrorism,” RIA Novosti reported.

Western countries cynically disregarded the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) probe into an alleged chemical incident in the Syrian city of Douma and undertook military action even before the investigation is completed, according to the Russian President.

Washington launched “an aggression against a sovereign state which is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism,” the statement from the President said, RT reported.

Putin stressed that the multi-national strikes were not sanctioned by the UN Security Council, and were carried out “in violation of the UN Charter and principles of international law”.

By using force, Washington is only prompting a new wave of asylum-seekers from Syria and the whole region, according to the Russian leader.

The President stated that escalation in Syria has destructive impact on the entire system of international relations.

Russia is calling an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the aggressive actions of the US and its allies, the statement concluded.

Washington and its allies unleashed the bombardment in the early hours of Saturday in retaliation for the alleged chemical attack by the Bashar Assad government in the town of Douma. The strikes were conducted before a team of investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was due to reach Douma to determine whether the attack had indeed taken place.