On Thursday, Alexander Zasypkin stressed that the armed terrorist groups are responsible for the criminal act in al-Ghouta in Damascus Countryside through a locally-made missile that was launched from an area controlled by these groups.

He pointed out that the massacre comes in the framework of the plan set by the terrorists and those behind them in order to mix things up in light of the Syrian Army's field success with the aim of escalating the political and security situation, in addition to posing the chemical weapon issue as a pretext to pass resolutions against the Syrian state.

In an interview with the Lebanese al-Manar TV, Zasypkin clarified that the Russian stance is built on information and analysis which prove that the missile was launched from armed terrorist groups' occupied sites.

He called for standing in the face of the armed opposition's scheme to prevent them from benefiting from the crime, as there should be an international pressure on the opposition to participate in finding a political settlement through an international conference on Syria.

He reaffirmed his country's firm approach regarding the crisis in Syria, clarifying that there is no room for rumors on compromises, as Russia has geopolitical constants- not narrow interests.

Moscow has previously described an allegation over the use of chemical weapons by Syria as “preplanned provocation”.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said circumstances around the reports, including the presence of UN inspectors in the country, suggested that the attack could be a provocation by the opposition.

MRKD/SHI