Moscow says Russian and Syrian aircraft have not carried out any sorties over Aleppo for nine days in line with their "humanitarian pause."
The Russian Defense Ministry responded on Thursday a day aftera monitoring group sympathetic to militants claimed that airstrikes had killed at least26 people in a village in Idlib.
Russias Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin challenged the UN and the Westto provide evidence of continuing airstrikes in Aleppo.
Churkin said no aircraft hasapproached the city at a distance of less than 10 km since a unilateral moratorium was announced by Russia and Syria on October 18 "in response to the UN call, and as a goodwill gesture."
"If you have any information that there were any missile and bomb strikes, please provide this information," Churkin said,adding he expected an "objective analysis" of the current situation.
Churkin also criticized the UN for failing "to thrash out in a proper way the operation on evacuation of the sick and injured people."
"The UN staff members have failed to exert required pressure on patrons of the illegal armed units so that the militants could cooperate with humanitarian workers."
The Russian ambassador also hit out at UN aid envoy Stephen O'Brienfor bias and arrogance after claiming that Aleppo had become a "kill zone" under Russian and Syrian bombs.
The US, Britain and France rushed to his defense in one of the stormiest council sessions in weeks after Churkin accused O'Brien offailing to recognize that Russia and Syria had declared a humanitarian pause.
Churkin criticized the UN official for failing topresentthe facts objectively while foreign-backed rebels and al-Qaeda-linked terrorists are hampering a UN planto evacuate the wounded from Aleppo.
"Please leave this kind of report to a novel that you might write one day," the Russian ambassador told the UN official.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry saidTakfiri militants continue to indiscriminately target residential neighborhoods of Aleppo, using makeshift rocket launchers, and preventing civilians from leaving the city's militant-held east.
Aircraft of the Russian aerospace forces and the Syrian air force have not been carrying out any flight closer thanthe 10-kilometer zone around the city of Aleppo for ninedays, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"]
Fighters from the so-called Free Syrian Army fire an anti-aircraft machine gun mounted near the northern Syrian village of Beraan north of Aleppo, Oct. 24, 2016. (Photo by AFP)[/caption]Warships wont join Aleppo campaign
The Foreign Ministry also dismissed as absurd suggestions from NATO that a new Russian battle group heading to the Mediterranean would join the campaign against terrorists in Aleppo.
The rebuttal came afterNATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned on Tuesdaythat the ships could be used to launch more airstrikes.
Andrei Kelin, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official,told the RIA news agency that Stoltenberg's statement was unhelpful.
"The concerns are not based on anything as our planes havenot come near Aleppo for nine days. Our battle group is in theMediterranean. Our ships have always had a presence there," said Kelin.
'Double standards'
Meanwhile, Syrias Ambassador to the United NationsBashar al-Ja'afari denounced double standards towards the ongoing conflict in his country.
Ja'afari lashed out at the US for supporting the so-called moderate militants in eastern Aleppo. He said Takfiri terrorists are now in possession of US-built rockets.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"]
Syrias Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Bashar al-Ja'afari[/caption]He also slammed Turkey's aggressivepolicies toward Syria amid US support, saying it violated the basics ofinternational law.
Ja'afari said Saudi Arabia - another key ally of the West -is supporting terrorism whileWahhabi muftis are fanning the flames of bloodshed in Syria, Iraq and Yemen through their decrees.
The entire Syrian population, he said, is suffering from the militancy being sponsored by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and Israel.
Ja'afari calledon all members of the UN Security Council to exercise their responsibilities concerning the establishment of security and peace across the globe.
By Press TV
