The defense Ministry has closed the channels of communication with the Pentagon on Syria
Moscow. April 8. INTERFAX.RU the Ministry of defense of Russia from 00:00 Saturday, April 8, stopped working the channels “hot line” communications, which operated within the framework of a bilateral Memorandum on the prevention of air incident in Syria.
Russia has taken this step after the US launched a missile attack on the airbase of the Syrian government forces in HOMS province.
“In the Russian defense Ministry had summoned a military attache at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, which was officially handed a note about the suspension by the Russian side with zero hours on April 8, the performance of its obligations under the Memorandum of understanding,” — said the official representative of the defense Ministry major-General Igor Konashenkov.
He said that on Friday afternoon at the military-diplomatic channels, the Pentagon sent a note to the defense Ministry about the termination of work under the Memorandum of channels “hot line”.
The Pentagon, the Russian note was received, said to “Interfax” on Friday evening the representative of the military Department of the USA Michel Baldanza.
“We received a note from Russia, but not going to go into details,” — said the employee of the Pentagon. At the same time, according to M. Baldanzi, “mechanisms of line to avoid conflict situations remain in power.”
In the night of Friday, the U.S. military struck with cruise missiles “Tomahawk” on the Syrian airfield “Sirat”. With him was allegedly carried out the recent chemical attack in Idlib province, which has led to numerous victims among the local population.
Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin believes the us strikes against Syria “is aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international law and under false pretenses”.
This was the first direct attack of the United States against the positions of the Syrian government and the most radical military decision of the President of the United States Donald trump since his inauguration
According to the “Sirat” with two of US warships in the Mediterranean were fired around 60 missiles. D. trump said in a televised address that he ordered “to conduct a military strike in Syria by objectives, where he carried out a chemical attack”.
In Washington reported that the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the United States Joseph Dunford discussed by telephone with the chief of the General staff Valery Gerasimov the situation in Syria after the application of the United States missile strike on Syrian airbase. “General Dunford spoke with General Gerasimov after the strike, the conversation was professional and focused on the situation in Syria,” — said “Interfax” on Friday, the us official source.
October 20, 2015 Russia and the United States signed a Memorandum of understanding to prevent incidents and ensure the safety of aviation operations in the airspace of Syria.
Before the American missile strike on Syrian airbase representatives of the ministries of defense of Russia and the United States held regular videoconferences in the framework of a bilateral Memorandum. Both sides called the Memorandum effective.
The Russian military operation in Syria is from September 30, 2015. Russian combat aircraft supported ground operations by the Syrian army. Russia Syria has an air base at the airfield Hamim and the basing of the Navy in the port of Tartus.