Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview with the BBC has ruled out any possibility of Russian military forces being involved in an offensive against civilians in Aleppo.

“I strictly rule out the possibility of Russian airstrike forces being involved in offensive against civilians. This is out of possibility. Russia’s Air Forces are still performing their task in terms of fighting terrorist organizations,” Peskov said. “In that very particular region it’s Nusra because Nusra is still controlling and dominating in the eastern part of Aleppo.”

The situation in the western part of Aleppo is different, he said. “Seven checkpoints (humanitarian corridors -TASS) were established in western Aleppo and one checkpoint was established between eastern Aleppo and western Aleppo in order to assist civilians to escape from the region controlled by the terrorists,” he stressed.

Peskov said Russia rejects the accusations against it of committing war crimes.

“We cannot agree with these accusations,” he said. “Russian military forces are acting in a strict accordance with international law and all the weapons being used in no way contradicts with the provision of relative international agreements,” Peskov added.

The United Nations Security Council gathered for an emergency meeting at the request from the UK, the US and France. The discussion focused on the situation in Aleppo where the government forces are conducting an operation against armed groups. The Western countries tried to put all the responsibility for the deterioration in Aleppo on Russia.

Russia’s envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin said after the US tactical tricks that have helped terrorists regroup and receive reinforcement, Moscow won’t agree anymore on unilateral steps aiming to cease hostilities in Syria.

Source: TASS