Russia Slams ‘Cowardly’ Syria Strike But Escalation Fears Fade
- U.S. missiles didn’t enter defense zones around Russian bases
- Fears of broader tensions seen allayed by limited attack
Putin responds to airstrikes in Syria
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Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced strikes on Syria by the U.S., France and the U.K. as an “act of aggression” but made no mention of possible retaliation for the highly anticipated attack on his Middle Eastern ally, easing for the moment fears of a wider conflict.
The dozens of missiles and bombs fired at a handful of sites early Saturday didn’t enter airspace guarded by advanced systems above Russian bases near the coast, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said. There were no casualties, either Syrian or Russian, or serious damage inflicted, the ministry said.