Moscow says allied attack missiles not routed through Russian defense zone in Syria

None of the missiles fired by the United States and its allies were routed through the Russian air defense zone in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday, after multinational forces hammered select targets in Syria.

The Damascus sky lights up missile fire as the U.S. launches an attack on Syria targeting different parts of the capital early Saturday, April 14, 2018. [Photo: AP]

None of the cruise missiles launched by the U.S. and its allies entered the zone of responsibility of the Russian air defenses, including the Tartus naval base and the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, the statement read.

U.S., French and British air forces conducted a massive missile strike on military and civilian infrastructure in Syria from 3:42 to 5:10 Moscow time (0042-0210 GMT), the statement added.

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the nation on late Friday, saying the joint operation was in response to the "chemical attack" in Douma, a town in Syria, by the Syrian Government on April 7.

The accusation has been strongly denied by the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus. Russia also calls it "fabricated".

Alexander Sherin, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, said on Saturday that the United States is violating all international norms. Russia views the military strikes against Syria as an act of aggression and a declaration of war on a sovereign state, Sherin said, according to Russian news agency Sputnik.