BIZARRE SCENES AS DIPLOMAT CLAIMS UK BEHIND ‘FAKE’ SYRIAN GAS ATTACK
RUSSIA claimed yesterday that Britain had ‘direct involvement’ in staging the chemical attack that killed up to 70 in Syria.
The ambassador to the UK joined military chiefs in denying there was any evidence chemical weapons had been used in the Eastern Ghouta attack that sparked global condemnation.
In an extraordinary two-hour Press conference in London, a grinning Alexander Yakovenko claimed humanitarian volunteers the White Helmets had been supported by the UK and were ‘famous for staging fake chemical attacks’.
‘His accusations are a blatant lie’
But his performance drew comparisons to ‘Comical Ali’, the nickname given to Saddam Hussein’s spokesman for his colourful appearances amid the 2003 Iraq invasion. His comments echoed earlier remarks by Moscow military chiefs.
According to Russian state broadcaster RT, major-general Igor Konashenkov said: ‘The Russian defence ministry also has evidence that Britain had a direct involvement in arranging this provocation in Eastern Ghouta.’
But Britain hit back, with its ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce calling the accusations ‘grotesque’ and a ‘blatant lie’.
Mr Yakovenko said: ‘The Syrian government had been repeatedly warning for at least a month that rebels prepared to stage a provocation with chemical weapons in this very area.’
He also accused the British government of destroying ‘all possible evidence’ related to the Salisbury attack, denying any Russian involvement in the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with nerve agent Novichok.
And, as he warned against intervention in Syria, the ambassador used a bizarre video montage of interviews with Tony Blair to suggest that the chemical attack allegations were similar to the former PM’s claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
On Russian involvement in the Skripals’ poisoning, the ambassador said: ‘Russia stopped any chemical programmes in 1992.’
Mr Yakovenko said Moscow would send a request to the UK under the Chemical Weapons Convention seeking ‘clarification and information’ over last month’s Salisbury attack.