28 Mar 2024
Wednesday 25 April 2018 - 17:09
Story Code : 302482

OPCW finds no chemical weapons at Syrian facilities bombed by US - Russian MoD



Sputnik- Last week, the fact-finding mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) visited a site in the Damascus suburb of Douma to collect samples in connection with the alleged April 7 chemical attack.




Chief ofthe Main Operational Directorate ofthe Russian General Staff Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy has announced that the Organisation forthe Prohibition ofChemical Weapons (OPCW) had confirmed that there were no chemical weapons found atthe Barzeh research center inDamascus despitethe US officials' claims.

The official further noted that thousands ofpeople could have died if there was any chemical weapon onthe sites that were attacked bythe US-led coalition.
"Immediately afterthe attacks, many people who worked atthese destroyed facilities and just bystanders withoutany protective equipment visited them. None ofthem got poisoned withtoxic agents," Rudskoy said.


He said the logic ofstrikes onalleged facilities withtoxic agents inSyria was unclear, because if toxic agents had theoretically been stored there, tens ofthousands ofpeople would have died afterthe cruise missile strikes.

On US Airstrikes inSyria

Intelligence data shows that Osa, Kvadrat, Buk, Strela-10, Pantsir and S-125 air defense systems destroyed 46 cruise missiles duringthe recent US-led strikes onSyria, Rudskoy said, adding that only 13 of76 reported Western airstrikes hit targets nearthe Barzah research center inSyria.
"Obtained intelligence data, objective control fromair defense systems, work onthe ground and the questioning ofwitnesses show that Pantsir, Osa, Strela-10, Buk, Kvadrat and S-125 destroyed 46 cruise missiles [in Syria]," Rudskoy said.


According toRudskoy, most ofthe precision weapons were destroyed bythe Soviet-era air defense systems developed 40 years ago, withS-125, Osaand Kvadrat amongthem.

According tothe military official, Russian specialists are examining missiles ofthe US-led coalition, including Tomahawk, which were captured inSyria toimprove Russian weapons.
"Two [missiles] including Tomahawk cruise missile and a high-precision aviation missile were delivered toMoscow They are now being examined byour experts. The results ofthis work will be used toimprove Russian weapons," he told a briefing.


At the same time, air defense expert ofthe Russian Defense Ministry Sergei Beznogih said that the Russian General Staff showed remains ofcruise missiles downed bySyrian air defense systems tojournalists.
"Elements ofthe sea-based US-made Tomahawk [missiles] and air-based UK-made and French-made SCALP and Storm Shadow [missiles] were displayed," Beznogih said.


Meanwhile, Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy noted that only seven western missiles struck the Syrian Han Shinshar facility, which allegedly housed chemical weapons, not 22 asthe Pentagonclaims.

The senior official stressed that chemical weapons were never developed or stored inHan Shinshar, located inthe province ofHoms, adding that the storage was struck twice, not seven times, asthe US side claims.
"According tothe statements ofthe Pentagons representatives, 22 missiles hit the above-ground facilities. We registered no more thanseven hits, which is shown inthe space image," he told a briefing.


Speaking further, Rudskoy noted thatexpensive "smart" US missiles only hit outbuildings inSyria which had nothing todo withthe army.
"The expensive and so-called smart missiles inflictedthe greatestdamage onoutbuildings which had nothing todo withmilitary activity," he told a briefing.


At the same time, according tothe senior military official,Russia will supply new air defense systems toSyria inthe nearfuture.
"Russian specialists will continue training Syrian military personnel, and will assist inmastering new air defense systems, which will be supplied inthe nearfuture," Rudskoy said.


Earlier, reports have emerged aboutan alleged chemical weapons attack inSyria, published byan online Syrian opposition news portals onApril 7, claiming that a chemical attack took place inSyria inthe city ofDouma nearDamascus.

Reacting tothe reports, the United States and the European Union said the Syrian government ofPresident Bashar Assad was behindthe attack.

Moscow has called the news reports aboutthe attack "hoaxes" and warned againstmilitary attacks againstSyrian areas where Russian troops are deployed.

The Russian Reconciliation Center forSyria representatives inspected the location ofthe alleged attack and questioned local doctors, who said that they had not received individuals withsymptoms ofany chemical poisoning.

However, despitethe lack ofevidence,the US, alongsideFrance and the UK, launched a massive missile attack againstSyria onApril 14inresponsetothe alleged chemical attack inthe city ofDouma.

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