Russia said on Wednesday that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had confirmed that there were no chemical weapons found at Syrian sites targeted during the latest tripartite attack by US, Britain and France.
Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy has announced that the OPCW had confirmed that there were no chemical weapons found at the Damascus’ Barzeh research center, which was hit by the April 14 attack.
The ministry further noted that thousands of people could have died if there was any chemical weapon on the sites that were attacked by the US-led coalition.
“Shortly after the airstrikes, many people visited those sites without any protective equipment. No one got any signs of gas-poisoning,” Colonel-General Sergey Rudskoy said.
Russian specialists are examining missiles of the US-led coalition, including Tomahawk, which were captured in Syria to improve Russian weapons, Rudskoy said Wednesday.
“Two [missiles] including Tomahawk cruise missile and a high-precision aviation missile were delivered to Moscow… They are now being examined by our experts. The results of this work will be used to improve Russian weapons,” he told a briefing.
Rudskoy further noted that only seven western missiles struck the Syrian Han Shinshar facility, which allegedly housed chemical weapons, not 22 as the Pentagon claims.
Rudskoy stressed that chemical weapons were never developed or stored in Han Shinshar, located in the province of Homs, adding that the storage was struck twice, not seven times, as the US side claims.
“According to the statements of the Pentagon’s representatives, 22 missiles hit the above-ground facilities. We registered no more than seven hits, which is shown in the space image,” he told a briefing.
New Air Defense Systems
On the other hand, the senior military official disclosed that Russia will supply new air defense systems to Syria in the near future.
“Russian specialists will continue training Syrian military personnel, and will assist in mastering new air defense systems, which will be supplied in the near future,” Rudskoy said.
Source: Sputnik
