By Chris Sommerfeldt, Christopher Brennan and Terence Cullen, NY Daily News:
Russia has vowed to help bulk up Syria’s air defenses after accusing the U.S. of breaking “international law” for a deadly overnight missile attack on one of the country’s air bases.
A “complex of measures” to beef up defenses will be completed shortly to “protect the most sensitive Syrian infrastructure facilities,” said a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman.
Russian officials confirmed Friday that the Kremlin received advanced notice that the U.S. would strike Shayrat Air Base in western Syria.
The U.S. launched 59 missiles at the base Thursday night in response to a suspected chemical attack by the Assad regime on a rebel-held town this week that killed about 100 people.
Syrian officials said seven people — at least three were soldiers and two civilians — were killed in the attack.
But Russia on Friday claimed just 23 of the missiles hit the base, destroying six jets that were under repair. The base’s runway wasn’t damaged.
Countries across the world praised the unilateral strike on the Assad government.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks the U.S. attack was launched under “far-fetched pretext,” his spokesman said.
“Putin views the U.S. strikes on Syria as aggression against a sovereign state in violation of the norms of international law,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday in a statement put out on state-run Russian TV. “Washington’s step will inflict major damage on U.S.-Russia ties.”
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