EU Council Head Accuses Russian Forces of 'Worsening' Situation in Syria

According to the European Council president, Russia's actions in Syria are worsening the situation in Syria.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — European Council President Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that Russian anti-terrorist airstrikes in Syria were making the situation in the country worse.

"Russia's actions in Syria are making an already very bad situation even worse," Tusk said.

He said that Moscow's actions contributed to the domination of the "murderous Assad regime," as well as to the greater number of refugees fleeing toward Turkey and Europe.

Russia runs an air base, Hmeimim, in the western Syrian province of Latakia, from where it is carrying out airstrikes on Islamist positions in the country. Russian warplanes have been flying bombing missions in the country at the request of President Bashar Assad since September 30, 2015.

A number of countries, including Turkey and the United States, have already directly or indirectly blamed Russia for causing civilian casualties in Syria. Moscow has firmly denied the allegations. Earlier in the day, the Kremlin reaffirmed that here was no credible evidence of civilian deaths as a result of Russian airstrikes in Syria.

Moscow has also been supporting the Syrian government and the country's civilian population, as well as mediating intra-Syrian talks on reconciliation.

Assad visited Moscow last year where he discussed Moscow's involvement in the resolution of the Syrian crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and expressed gratitude for the help Russia was providing to his country.