The Kremlin strongly criticized Israeli air strikes on targets inside Syria on Thursday, saying Israel and other countries should avoid any action that heightened tension in the region.
“Gross violations of Syrian sovereignty, no matter how they are justified, are unacceptable”. Russia
Yesterday, Israeli jets attacked a munitions arsenal near Damascus airport. It was said to be used by Hezbollah who is fighting as part of the Syrian-led anti-terrorist coalition.
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The attack on Damascus airport was followed the next day by an Israeli downing of an alleged Syrian drone over the Golan Heights, an internationally recognized part of Syria that Israel has illegally occupied since 1967.
Russia has condemned the move as an illegal attack on a sovereign state. Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that “We continue to consider that all countries need to refrain from any kind of actions that lead to an increase in tension in this already restive region and call for respect for the sovereignty of Syria”.
This was echoed by a statement from Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova who stated, Moscow condemns acts of aggression against Syria”. She also said that the unprovoked attack constituted, “Gross violations of Syrian sovereignty, no matter how they are justified, are unacceptable”.
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The attack on Damascus airport was followed the next day by an Israeli downing of an alleged Syrian drone over the Golan Heights, an internationally recognized part of Syria that Israel has illegally occupied since 1967.
Russia, whose forces are helping President Bashar al-Assad fight Islamic State and other militant groups, regularly says it is the only foreign power operating on Syrian territory at the Syrian government’s invitation and has spoken out strongly against Turkish strikes as well as a recent U.S. strike.