Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Accuses U.S. of Staging Another Chemical Attack in Syria

Russian Ministry of Defence

The Russian military has warned that the United States is helping Syrian rebels stage a chemical weapons attack against civilians, which it claims will be used as cover to carry out airstrikes against government targets.

The Russian military has a history of issuing pre-emptive statements accusing anti-government forces of laying the groundwork for so-called “false flag” operations to invite U.S. airstrikes. President Vladimir Putin rejected Syria’s involvement in a deadly, suspected chemical attack in 2017, and Russia again dismissed another suspected poison gas attack in April 2018 as “staged.”

In a statement carried by Interfax on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the anti-government Free Syrian Army rebels had brought chlorine canisters to the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. The goal, according to the ministry, was that videos of the aftermath would be used to “justify” U.S. airstrikes and a rebel offensive.

“The Russian Defense Ministry warns that using these provocations to destabilize the situation in Syria is unacceptable,” said spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov. 

Members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have warned of an increased use of chemical weapons, particularly in Syria. Some expressed frustration at OPCW’s inability to lay blame when attacks were carried out with banned munitions.

Reuters contributed reporting to this article.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more