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Ambassador Filatov Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Russian ambassador to Ireland: 'As far as we can see, there was no attack in Syria'

Yury Filatov said it was “absolutely ridiculous” to suggest Russia was covering up any chemical attack.

Updated 2.05pm

THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR to Ireland has said today that, following Russia’s own military probe into the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, “as far as we can see, there was no attack in Syria”.

Chemical experts are due to arrive in Douma tomorrow to probe the alleged poison gas attack, but the US has voiced fears Moscow may already have “tampered with” evidence at the site.

Following weekend missile strikes on Syria by the US, France and Britain, Russia traded accusations with western nations yesterday and today, dismissing as “a blatant lie” accusations that Moscow was hindering the investigation in Douma.

The weekend missile strikes were in response to an alleged chlorine and sarin gas attack in Douma on 7 April in which 40 people were said to have been killed.

Speaking today to reporters from the Russian embassy in Dublin, Yury Filatov said that any suggestion that Russia would cover up such an attack was “absolutely ridiculous”.

The ambassador said that the western air strikes were an “act of aggression” and “reckless”, and that the Russian military investigation found nothing to back up the claim that Syrian forces had perpetrated a chemical attack.

Filatov said: “On 9 April, we had our team of military experts – experts in chemical, bio and this kind of thing – visited the site and they did not find any traces of chlorine or any other toxic agents. Not a single local resident was able to confirm a chemical attack had actually taken place.”

He also suggested that the footage purporting to show people being treated in a hospital in the aftermath of the attack was staged.

“In fact I can suggest, we have witnesses from the hospital where the famous video was shot,” he said. “The normal life in the emergency room was going on, people were being treated, then all of a sudden people rushed in and shouted ‘chemical attack’ and starting to pour water.

People were in a panic. Two or three other people made footage of the whole commotion that was immediately transferred to YouTube and media networks.

Filatov said that it’s “practically impossible” to eliminate traces of the chemicals used in the alleged attack, and warned continued action from western countries risks deteriorating its relations with Russia.

He said: “We are losing the last bit of trust we have in our western partners. It’s not lost completely, but I can see us losing that in the process.”

‘Tampering’ with the site

In Syria, Chemical experts OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu said his nine-strong, all-volunteer team had reached Damascus, but so far “the team has not yet deployed to Douma”.

Syrian and Russian officials had warned of “pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place,” Uzumcu said.

Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s radiological, biological and chemical protection unit, told reporters the roads still had to be de-mined and cleared and would be tested by UN security services today.

“On Wednesday is when we plan the arrival of the OPCW experts,” he added at a press conference in the Russian embassy in The Hague.

The US ambassador to the OPCW, Ken Ward, claimed however the Russians had already visited the site and “may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW fact-finding mission”.

The Kremlin similarly dismissed the claims.

“I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the BBC.

And the Russian ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, said it was a “blatant lie” that Moscow was hampering the investigation.

Instead he said it was the United States, France and Britain who were “standing in the way” of the investigation by ordering air strikes “in the blink of an eye” before the OPCW team had a chance to do their work.

The missiles that US, French and British warships fired on suspected chemical facilities Saturday constituted the biggest Western attack against the regime in the seven-year war to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The targeted sites were largely empty, and were all said to be facilities for chemical weapons storage or production.

British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron faced anger yesterday from their lawmakers for conducting the air strikes with the United States.

Despite polls showing scant support for the move, May said it had been her “responsibility as prime minister to make these decisions,” while Macron also defended his move as part of his constitutional powers.

‘Suffocation not gas’

France urged OPCW nations to boost the organisation’s work so it can completely dismantle Syria’s “secret” toxic weapons programme.

And the United States called for a clear condemnation by the OPCW of “the Syrian government for its reign of chemical terror”.

The trio of Western powers that carried out the strikes warned they would repeat the operation if Damascus used chemical weapons again.

Regime forces have now entered Douma and declared the entire Eastern Ghouta region around it fully retaken, ending a five-year siege and reclaiming an opposition bastion on the edge of the capital.

Even though the OPCW team was not allowed in, the Syrian authorities organised a tour of the town for the foreign press, including AFP.

It included a visit to the main hospital to which the victims of the alleged chemical attack were taken.

Medical student Marwan Jaber said no chemical weapons were used on 7 April. “Suffocation cases arrived as a result of the debris, dust, fire and smoke. They were given routine treatment”, he told AFP.

But “strangers entered as we were in a state of chaos and spread a rumour among people there had been a chemical attack, and people became alarmed”.

Damascus and Moscow have vehemently denied that any chemical weapons were used in Douma and alleged instead that grim videos showing civilians foaming at the mouth after the attack were staged.

Russian ambassador Shulgin repeated the accusations telling reporters in The Hague that Douma residents had not been able to produce “a single body”.

With reporting from AFP © – AFP, 2018

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    Mute james sullivan
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:36 AM

    I love all the sporty folk down around the board walk…well I assume they’re athletes with their tracksuits and runners.

    645
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    Mute Alan Kennedy
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:50 AM

    You’re never far from a medically trained professional either. Someone is always on hand to administer life saving drugs should you need them. What a progressive city. They ever have staff to carry your wallet and phone for you.

    278
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Jun 16th 2015, 1:13 PM

    Thanks to an outdated drug policy, lack of priority for the gardai and lack of social inclusion. everybody loves highlighting the problem but the solutions already exist just need a decent government to get the job done

    34
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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:31 AM

    I’m assuming she didn’t walk along the river on the gouger gauntlet that is the boardwalk. She wouldn’t be comparing it to the Seine then.

    171
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    Mute Baz
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:35 AM

    You obviously have not been in Paris recently. They’ve went on strike last month on the Eiffel tower site because of the professional pick pockets knocking about that area around the seine.

    The Hawkers round the Parisian baton rouges are notorious for threatening tourists.

    143
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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:58 AM

    I don’t believe you. Dublin is the only capitol city in the world that has lowlifes. I’m assuming that’s why people come to visit us.

    78
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    Mute Baz
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:27 AM

    She must be talking about the Liffey around Lucan.

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    Mute Allister
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:37 AM

    Do any of the junk balls staggering around drinking cans of devil’s bit get a mention in the article….

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:37 AM

    You can’t compare Paris and Dublin.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 16th 2015, 4:21 PM

    You can. She did.

    28
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    Mute Peter King
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:28 AM

    What do we always get so excited when foreigners say something nice about us.

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    Mute Kevin M Smyth
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:10 AM

    Because tourism is very important?

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    Mute I LOVE MY COUNTY
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:19 AM

    No I agree with Peter, it’s the same when you see lots of social media outlets sharing Twitter quotes from people in England about seeing Hurling for the first time. Ireland is a proud nation, but I think we care too much what people think of us, it’s good to show we care and take pride in our culture and country, but I think it’s more an inferiority complex with some media, in Dublin especially!

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    Mute Dave Cork
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:40 AM

    I can see the boardwalk as Dublin’s version of the left bank ..
    So many artists .. It’s a pity they all draw the dole ..

    114
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    Mute Integra-Ted
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:33 AM

    I love Dublin City, but for God’s sakes, what was this writer smoking?

    Both sides of the Quays is basically a motorway separated by a river for starters!

    The Rosie Hackett bridge looks like they bought a bridge kit off Lego, the rest are 3 or 4 lane speedways.

    Not to mention the Irish Zombie Olympic squad openly robbing, dealing, drinking and injecting with impunity!

    107
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    Mute Kevin Slater
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:15 AM

    Two guards on the beat is all it would take to clear the scangars away. C’mon guards

    94
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Jun 16th 2015, 1:14 PM

    There’s a lot more than 2 guards patrolling the dublin 1/2 area. policing won’t solve an addiction and homelessness crises

    27
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    Mute Ruth McCann
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    Jun 17th 2015, 4:34 AM

    Come to Vancouver and you’ll see what being homeless really is..
    Vancouver has the highest rate of homeless people in Canada and its shockingly bad to see that in a first world city. I would like the police force and the politicians to do something about it otherwise they’ll end up with a Vancouver 2.0 in Dublin
    I agree with your points though.

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    Mute stopit
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:33 AM

    For me, the liffey is something you cross to get to the posh shops of the southside and come back over without having bought anything, not somewhere to stop and enjoy the city.

    I reckon if DCC start moving traffic away from the quays and pubs/cafes etc. start opening out on to street/boardwalk it will be much much better. It would be great to be able to sit out and feel like the liffey is the heart of the city.

    the first sap to post about “junkies” deserves a slap.

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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:14 PM

    Could not agree more. No traffic on the quays would really open up the whole area around the river. Dublin is such an amazing city, so vibrant, so full of fun and friendly people. You can go to a pub and chat with a stranger and its not weird. So many free museums, galleries, amazing bars, great clubs and gig venues, brilliant cinemas like the Lighthouse, great places to eat. You’re never more than 300 feet from a public park in Dublin. I’ve been to well over a hundred cities at this stage and Dublin is right up in the top ten. If you only see junkies you really are missing out. It’s no wonder so many Europeans are coming here to live, we punch well above our weight, the positives far outweigh the negatives. We even have mountains 10 minutes away. Amazing.

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    Mute Tertullian
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:33 AM

    She may perhaps have had a couple ot Guinnesses too many when she wrote that piece. Dublin is a dump.

    47
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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Dublin is a dump and against the marriage referendum. You need to get out and party. Dublin has the best parties.

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    Mute Niall Scully
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:17 AM

    For a capital city Dublin is an embarrassment, with a big stupid needle in the middle.

    31
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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Far superior to Galway. By a long shot. We can do a comparison if you like, kinda like that bit in Lethal Weapon 3 where Reno Russo and Mel Gibson compare scars.

    11
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    Mute Kevin M Smyth
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:16 AM

    I’m guessing that the writer wasn’t robbed in any of the bars in Temple Bar.

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    Mute Showbiz Babyyy
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:44 AM

    The river Lee is better. Hup oul dat

    28
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    Mute Sean Johnston
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    Jun 16th 2015, 9:49 AM

    Once a tourist has been to Dublin and realizes what a steaming pile of sh!t the place is and leaves after spending outrages amounts of money in the process, the image of Ireland is forever tarnished in their eyes. They tell anybody who will listen not to go anywhere near Ireland. Dublin airport should be used as an exit

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    Mute Sean Johnston
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:13 AM

    point only.

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    Mute Dog Standard
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    Jun 16th 2015, 2:17 PM

    Such a spanner.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Jun 17th 2015, 6:24 AM

    Is somebody keeping you here against your will

    1
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    Mute Bearsass Hairyarse
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:10 AM

    What in the name a jayzzzzus was she smokin??

    27
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    Mute Richard boyle
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:29 AM

    Cool the North side is the left bank then! Always knew it

    26
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    Mute Bobby Quarantine
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    Jun 16th 2015, 12:27 PM

    Managed to avoid the zombie junkies then? Good girl.

    22
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    Mute Qwerty
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    Jun 16th 2015, 10:18 AM

    Didn’t forget to pack her rose-tinted glasses when visiting then.

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    Mute FastBuck
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    Jun 16th 2015, 3:23 PM

    “Like a hip version of the Seine” – obviously visited the tracksuits and sampled their wares

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    Mute Colin Forbes
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    Jun 16th 2015, 6:10 PM

    Utter rubbish

    4
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    Mute grumpyoldtroll
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    Jun 16th 2015, 12:15 PM

    I read that as ‘kip’ version. I was right the first time.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jun 17th 2015, 1:56 PM

    Try swimming in it then?

    1
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