Syria transfers 2 US missiles to Russia that did not explode
(Baonghean.vn) - A source in the Syrian Defense Ministry told Russian news agency TASS on April 19 that two cruise missiles that failed to explode discovered by the Syrian army after the US attack on April 14 had been handed over to Russia.
 |
| Image of the US-led coalition attack on Syria in the early morning of April 14. Photo AP |
“Two cruise missiles that did not explode during the US missile strike on Syria in the early hours of April 14 were found by the Syrian military. Both missiles were in good condition. They were handed over to Russian authorities on April 17,” the source said, adding that “both were flown back to Russia on April 18.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not yet officially confirmed this information.
On April 11, US President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that Russia should be ready for a missile attack on Syria, declaring that the missiles would be “nice and new and smart”.
On April 14, the United States, France and Britain launched a simultaneous attack on Syrian targets without the approval of the United Nations Security Council. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the missile attack took place in the early hours of Saturday. The ministry said a total of 103 cruise and air-to-surface missiles were launched, 71 of which were shot down by Syrian air defense units. Three civilians were injured.
No missiles were detected in the area covered by Russian air defense systems in Tartus and Hmeymim. Russian missile defense systems were not used.
The US, UK and France said the strikes were in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria on April 7, as reported by several non-governmental organisations, including the White Helmets.
The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the reports as fake news. The Russian Defense Ministry said the White Helmets were an unreliable source that often spreads false information. The Russian Center for Reconciliation of Conflicting Parties inspected the site in Douma on April 9 and found no traces of chemical weapons.
Previously, many Russian official agencies have repeatedly warned that preparations are underway in many areas of Syria to provoke and fake chemical attacks in order to blame government forces.
Investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Syria on April 14 to collect samples, which could confirm or deny reports of a chemical attack.