No evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian troops—Putin

MOSCOW—The US violated the international law by launching an airstrike on a Syrian military airfield without providing any evidence of the use of chemical weapons by the Damascus government, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with the Mir TV channel.

“How did NATO allies reacted? They have all been nodding like bobbleheads, without analyzing the events. Where is evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian troops? There is none. Was there a breach of the international law? Yes, there was. This is an evident fact. Without an approval by the UN Security Council, an airstrike is carried out on a sovereign country. And, despite it being a clear violation of the international law, everyone agrees to it, accepts it and starts nodding (in approval) and expressing their support,” Putin said in a preview of the interview, published on the channel’s website Wednesday.

Earlier, the Russian president compared the ongoing accusations about the use of chemical weapons in Syria with the 2003 events when US used chemical weapons in Iraq it as a pretext to unleash a military campaign in the country.

The full version of the interview will be aired on Wednesday evening.