The latest U.S. threat to use force against Syria amount to blackmail against Russia, a top Russian official warned Tuesday.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Tuesday that the Trump administration has signaled it would blame Syria’s leaders for the use of any chemical weapons there, and followup with a “massive” military strike.
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“This is absolutely the policy of threats and blackmail,” Ryabkov said, according to Tass, Russia’s state-owned media outlet. He also warned the U.S. seems to be promising a strike that would “surpass the one the U.S. carried out with its allies in the past.”
Russia has been working closely with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in what they say are operations to rid the country of terrorists, and a large-scale U.S. strike could threaten Russian positions.
While the U.S. has said it is Russia and Syria that are striking innocent civilians and groups supported by the U.S., Ryabkov accused the U.S. of backing terrorist groups in the region.
“We particularly name geographical points where preparations are made to carry out provocations and certain terrorist groups backed by the U.S. and its allies,” Ryabkov said.
