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 of�the Main Operational Directorate of�the Russian General Staff Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy has announced that the Organisation for�the Prohibition of�Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had confirmed that there were no chemical weapons found at�the Barzeh research center in�Damascus despite�the US officials' claims.

The official further noted that thousands of�people could have died if there was any chemical weapon on�the sites that were attacked by�the US-led coalition.
"Immediately after�the attacks, many people who worked at�these destroyed facilities and just bystanders without�any protective equipment visited them. None of�them got poisoned with�toxic agents," Rudskoy said.


He said the logic of�strikes on�alleged facilities with�toxic agents in�Syria was unclear, because if toxic agents had theoretically been stored there, tens of�thousands of�people would have died after�the cruise missile strikes.

On US Airstrikes in�Syria

Intelligence data shows that Osa, Kvadrat, Buk, Strela-10, Pantsir and S-125 air defense systems destroyed 46 cruise missiles during�the recent US-led strikes on�Syria, Rudskoy said, adding that only 13 of�76 reported Western airstrikes hit targets near�the Barzah research center in�Syria.
"Obtained intelligence data, objective control from�air defense systems, work on�the ground and the questioning of�witnesses show that Pantsir, Osa, Strela-10, Buk, Kvadrat and S-125� destroyed 46 cruise missiles [in Syria]," Rudskoy said.


According to�Rudskoy, most of�the precision weapons were destroyed by�the Soviet-era air defense systems developed 40 years ago, with�S-125, Osa�and Kvadrat among�them.

According to�the military official, Russian specialists are examining missiles of�the US-led coalition, including Tomahawk, which were captured in�Syria to�improve Russian weapons.
"Two [missiles] including Tomahawk cruise missile and a high-precision aviation missile were delivered to�Moscow� They are now being examined by�our experts. The results of�this work will be used to�improve Russian weapons," he told a briefing.


At the same time, air defense expert of�the Russian Defense Ministry Sergei Beznogih said that the Russian General Staff showed remains of�cruise missiles downed by�Syrian air defense systems to�journalists.
"Elements of�the 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 as�the Pentagon�claims.

The senior official stressed that chemical weapons were never developed or stored in�Han Shinshar, located in�the province of�Homs, adding that the storage was struck twice, not seven times, as�the US side claims.
"According to�the statements of�the Pentagon�s representatives, 22 missiles hit the above-ground facilities. We registered no more than�seven hits, which is shown in�the space image," he told a briefing.


Speaking further, Rudskoy noted that�expensive "smart" US missiles only hit outbuildings in�Syria which had nothing to�do with�the army.
"The expensive and so-called �smart� missiles inflicted�the greatest�damage on�outbuildings which had nothing to�do with�military activity," he told a briefing.


At the same time, according to�the senior military official,�Russia will supply new air defense systems to�Syria in�the near�future.
"Russian specialists will continue training Syrian military personnel, and will assist in�mastering new air defense systems, which will be supplied in�the near�future," Rudskoy said.


Earlier, reports have emerged about�an alleged chemical weapons attack in�Syria, published by�an online Syrian opposition news portals on�April 7, claiming that a chemical attack took place in�Syria in�the city of�Douma near�Damascus.

Reacting to�the reports, the United States and the European Union said the Syrian government of�President Bashar Assad was behind�the attack.

Moscow has called the news reports about�the attack "hoaxes" and warned against�military attacks against�Syrian areas where Russian troops are deployed.

The Russian Reconciliation Center for�Syria representatives inspected the location of�the alleged attack and questioned local doctors, who said that they had not received individuals with�symptoms of�any chemical poisoning.

However, despite�the lack of�evidence,�the US, alongside�France and the UK, launched a massive missile attack against�Syria on�April 14�in�response�to�the alleged chemical attack in�the city of�Douma.