April 11 (UPI) — After a Russian diplomat warned that any U.S. missiles fired at Syria will be shot down and their launch sites targeted, President Donald Trump fired back Wednesday — telling Russia to “get ready.”
“Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’,” Trump said in a tweet. “You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”
The fiery response comes after Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin said officials would refer to President Vladimir Putin’s instructions if Syria is attacked, which is to down the missiles and also attack the sources that fired them.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said “there are Russians present in large numbers in Syria, and Russia will do everything to protect its people on Syrian soil.”
The attack Saturday killed dozens and injured up to 500 people in Douma, a town in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta. Officials said at least one Assad-allied helicopter dropped a barrel bomb of chemicals that left civilians, including children, suffocated.
On Tuesday, Trump canceled a trip to a trade summit in Bogota, Colombia, to monitor the situation.
Also Tuesday, Eurocontrol, the pan-European air traffic control agency, warned airlines to exercise caution during the next 72 hours in the eastern Mediterranean due to the possible airstrikes.
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