Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, August 30, 2018

"Unfortunately, the clouds are gathering once again over Syria. The United States with its several thousand-strong military presence in Syria, together with its closest Western allies, threaten Syria with armed aggression. They are not at all embarrassed to follow models they had already used before. In fact, the same scheme was used in March and April 2018. It all started with preventive statements by officials alleging that “the Assad regime” intended to use chemical weapons and stressing the need to prevent any incident of this kind. As we all know, this is followed by what we call a chemical provocation, which either involves a real or fake chemical weapons attacks. Finally, in the closing stage, the Syrian military and other sites are shelled. This process has been launched, once again. We can expect this to be crudely orchestrated through a lurid media campaign, without inventing any new approaches or schemes, and by simply following tried and tested programmes and models.

Data coming from the Russian military and presented at the Defence Ministry briefing on August 27 prove that this hypothesis is not without grounds.

This is a matter of very serious concern for us and we wanted to share it with the international community and the media in the light of the aforementioned scenario. This would be a severe blow not only for the settlement in Syria, but also for global security. Playing with fire this way could have unpredictable consequences, since you cannot get away with it every time. On August 28, this matter was discussed at the UN Security Council at Russia’s initiative. Unfortunately, the participants in this debate expressed opposing views. It is regrettable that everyone decided to stick to their position, even though in fateful moments of this kind it is imperative that we at least try to hear each other, if not reach a consensus.

Let me reiterate that Russia views the use of toxic substances as totally unacceptable, just like staged chemical attacks intended to justify making deliberately misleading accusations against the Syrian government and military of carrying out chemical attacks. Damascus lacks the capability to do so, since Syria’s chemical stockpiles were completely eliminated under international supervision in 2014 and 2015 as part of a unique operation involving the US, among others. There is no need to add that this would be a glaring example of suicidal madness, which is something the Syrian government can hardly be accused of.

There is only one conclusion to be drawn from this situation: the West is not willing to accept the path toward settlement in Syria as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and is seeking to steer the course of events into greater alignment with the plans of Washington and its allies. This would explain the response by Western capitals to the Russian initiative on the return of Syrian refugees back home. This humanitarian project could have united the international community when carried out with active input from the UN and its specialised agencies, primarily the UNHCR. But this was not the case: the initiative designed to help millions of people return to their homes in safety and dignity instead of muddling along abroad as subhumans, and quite often facing extreme hardship without proper housing or work, was called “premature.” It is unfortunate that for some of our partners humanistic values were sacrificed to their determination to change the “undesirable” regime in Damascus.

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On Tuesday, August 28, the Pentagon attempted to deny reports by the Russian Ministry of Defence on an increase in US cruise missiles in the Middle East.

Indeed, the US destroyer Ross armed with 28 Tomahawks, has repeatedly entered the area in the Mediterranean Sea, from which missiles can be effectively fired on Syrian territory. Another US ship of the same class, the USS Sullivans, quickly left the area in the Persian Gulf, from which it could easily hit targets in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), following media reports that the US is building up its capabilities for a strike against Syria.

However, when the US military was refuting this information, they forgot to mention that they can build up US missile capacity for strikes against Syria within 24 hours.

At this point, the attack force of the US, France and Britain consists of strategic and tactical aircraft deployed on airbases in Jordan and Kuwait and on Crete and totaling around 70 delivery vehicles, around 380 air-borne cruise missiles, plus two US destroyers, the Carney and the Ross, each carrying 28 Tomahawks.

Within 24 hours, the US missile-carrying force in the Mediterranean Sea could be reinforced by two more destroyers, the USS Donald Cook and the USS Porter, currently deployed at a naval base near the Spanish city of Rota, as well as by submarines. Within the same period, the destroyer USS Jason Dunham could enter the Red Sea for a strike against Syria and the USS Sullivans in the Persian Gulf could return to the attack area.

In other words, at least four delivery vehicles carrying sea-based missiles with a strike capacity of more than 112 Tomahawks could join an aggression against the sovereign Syrian state.

For proof, during talks between Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia General Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford, the US counterpart said that the US Department of Defence was considering strike scenarios on targets in Syria. Other coalition member states are ready to join them.

Strikes against Syria are being linked to the alleged possible use of chemical weapons by government troops in Idlib.

Russia’s Chief of the General Staff informed General Dunford that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army is out of the question. The Syrian government has no such plans.

Considerable government troops have been massed around Idlib. Given their combat experience, they can, if necessary, respond to the terrorist force in that province.

It should be noted that, according to the information that we have, on August 23 and 24 eight barrels of chlorine and shells for multiple rocket launchers, which will be filled with chlorine, were delivered to the Idlib de-escalation zone, specifically to the town of Jisr ash-Shugur. The so-called White Helmets with video equipment to film the simulated use of chemical weapons have also arrived there. Preparations for yet another provocation are taking shape.

In addition, according the Russian Reconciliation Centre, the White Helmets delivered a large amount of toxic agents to an arms and fuel depot controlled by the Ahrar ash-Sham group in the town of Saraqib in Idlib province. They were transported on two heavy trucks from the town of Afs.

In order to expand the scale of “rent-a-mob” scenes to accuse the Bashar al-Assad government of using toxic agents against civilians, part of the cargo in unmarked plastic barrels was transported to other militant bases in the south of Idlib. Let me point out the fact that all of this is factual material that can be verified and Western countries have every opportunity to do so.                               

So, active preparations are under way to stage the use of chemical weapons by government troops in the Idlib zone in the hope that the United States will carry out missile strikes against government troops.

Judging from US military preparations in the Middle East, new missile strikes on targets in Syria are not unlikely.

Let me point out once again that in so doing the United States will reverse all efforts on a Syrian peace settlement. This must be understood".

Sourse: http://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/...

Briefing by Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, August 28, 2018

"According to information received by the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides from several independent sources in the province of Idlib, a large load of toxic substances was delivered to the city of Sarakib from the village of Afs on two large-capacity trucks.

Accompanied by eight representatives of the White Helmets organization, the toxic chemicals were taken to the warehouse used by the Ahrar al-Sham militants to store weapons, where they were met by two high-ranking commanders of the illegal armed formation.

Later, part of the cargo in plastic barrels without marking was transported to another militant base in the southern part of the Idlib province to stage the use of chemical weapons and the subsequent accusation of government forces in the use of toxic chemicals against civilians.

The Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides urges leaders of illegal armed formations operating  in the Idlib de-escalation zone to cease hostilities and move towards peaceful settlement of the situation in areas they occupy".

Sourse: http://syria.mil.ru/en/index/syria/peacemaking_briefs/brief.htm?id=12193...