US strikes in Syria 'aggression against sovereign state': Russia

The Syrian army does not have any chemical weapon stockpiles, says Kremlin spokesperson

MOSCOW: Moscow considers the US strike on a Syrian airbase early Friday as "aggression against a sovereign state," which will further harm US-Russia ties, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"President Putin considers American strikes on Syria aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international norms, and under an invented pretext," Peskov was reported as saying by Russian agencies



US President Donald Trump ordered a massive military strike on a Syrian air base at 0040GMT, in retaliation for what he said was a "very barbaric attack" Tuesday that is suspected to have contained a nerve agent.

"The Syrian army does not have any chemical weapon stockpiles," added Peskov.

"The fact of destruction of all chemical weapon stockpiles of the Syrian armed forces was recorded and confirmed by the (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)."



"This step by Washington inflicts considerable damage to US-Russia relations, which are already in a lamentable state," Peskov added.

A White House official said 59 precision-guided Tomahawk missiles hit the Shayrat airfield, from where the US believes the attack was launched. A monitoring group said the base was nearly destroyed with four soldiers killed.