Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said he was skeptical about a UN report accusing the Syrian government of committing crimes against humanity during the siege of Eastern Ghouta.

“We are in principle very skeptical towards the methods of this sort of work, whether it comes to war crimes or the use of chemical weapons,” Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

He said the report was “based on data obtained through social networks, video that was filmed by witnesses”, rather than being put together on the ground.

The report published Wednesday claimed forces loyal to the government had deliberately starved civilians during the siege between February and April, among other crimes.

The five-year siege, on the outskirts of the capital, ended in April when Damascus regained control of the enclave which was controlled by terrorists.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov hoped that US’ decision to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council is not final.

“We hope that this decision is not final and the United States would reaffirm its commitment to the United Nations, particularly in an important area such as human rights,” the Russian top diplomat stressed.

“As you know, the United States considers itself to be a champion in this field. But if it were so, Washington would have arguments that would allow it to continue working within the Human Rights Council, particularly with those who promotes initiatives and stances quite contrary to those of the US,” Lavrov noted.

Source: Agencies