MOSCOW // Russia has accused the West of creating “strange hysteria” over Russian activities in Syria, saying that Moscow has been openly supplying weapons and sending military specialists to Syria for a long time.
The US has expressed concern about signs of a Russian military build-up in Syria, including possible preparations for sending in troops.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zhakarova said on Wednesday that “Russia has never made a secret of its military-technical cooperation with Syria”.
She confirmed that “Russian military specialists are in Syria to help them master the weapons being supplied”.
President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials also have said in recent days that Russia has military experts in Syria to train its military on how to use Russian-supplied weapons.
“Russian experts are always present but in the last year they have been present to a greater degree,” a Syrian military official said on Wednesday, pointing to a deepening of ties which Washington fears may be a buildup to support president Bashar Al Assad.
* Associated Press and Reuters
