MOSCOW. Jan 29 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry has said it does not share the U.S. Department of State's view on the situation in Idlib, saying that dozens of armored vehicles and other militant weapons have been destroyed in Idlib.
"In the entire period of Russia's active opposition to international terrorism in Syria, there haven't been any public statements by the U.S. Department of State in support of this fight," Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday, commenting on a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about Washington's grave concerns about the situation in northwest Syria, where the combined forces of Russia, Iranian units, Hezbollah, and the Syrian army "are conducting a large-scale assault upon the people of Idlib and western Aleppo provinces."
"All the Department of State's moralizing on Syria and their alleged 'concerns' about the suffering of 'civilians' come out solely at moments of the terrorists' crushing defeats, as well as the long-awaited liberation of Syrian civilians," Konashenkov said.
Eight tanks, more than 15 combat infantry vehicles, 49 pickup trucks with large-caliber weapons, eight jihad mobiles, four strike drones, and dozens of artillery weapons of various caliber were destroyed and taken over as a result of defensive actions and counteroffensives by Syrian government troops on the border of the Idlib de-escalation area as of the morning of January 29, he said.
"The cause of the main problems with the restoration of peaceful life by the people of Syria is the Department of State, which has no qualms about implementing tough sanctions that block any food, medical, material, and financial aid to Syrians who are actually innocent and peaceful on the territory of their country liberated from terrorists," Konashenkov said.
"Against this background, the silent support the Department of State has provided in the past few weeks to the powerful and coordinated offensive from the Idlib de-escalation area by the large forces called by Mike Pompeo 'innocent civilians' with artillery and armored vehicles belonging to the Syrian branch of al Qaeda [banned in Russia] and Jabhat al-Nusra [banned in Russia] is not surprising," he said.