DONALD Trump has told Russia to "get ready" for American "smart" missiles heading to Syria - after Moscow insisted it would shoot down US rockets.
The US President issued the extraordinary threat on Twitter following comments from senior Russian officials that Vladimir Putin's military would strike US bomb sites in retaliation to American aggression.
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!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
Trump tweeted: "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!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"
The Republican firebrand then added: "Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War.
"There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?
Responding to Trump's tweet, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said: “Smart missiles should fly towards terrorists, not a legal government."
The spokeswoman also reportedly said that US “smart missiles” could be an attempt to destroy evidence of an alleged chemical attack on the ground.
A Syrian government called Trump's threats to attack "reckless" saying that they endangered international peace and security, reports The Associated Press.
Alexander Zasypkin, Russia's ambassador to Lebanon, said Putin would destroy American missiles if Washington carried out a retaliatory strike.
“If there is a strike by the Americans then... the missiles will be downed and even the sources from which the missiles were fired,” he told Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV.
Yevgeny Serebrennikov, deputy chairman of Moscow’s Defence Committee, also said Russia would respond “immediately” to a US attack on Russia’s soldiers in Syria.
Speaking with Sputnik, he said: “As the Defence Ministry has already pointed out, the Russian military bases in Hmeymim and Tartus are under firm protection.
“At the same tim
“I think that the United States understands this and will not allow it, because otherwise, Russia's response will be immediate, as the chief of the Russian General Staff has said.”
A Russian Foreign ministry source says the risk of “direct military confrontation” between Russia and the US in Syria “exists”, reports Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
Meanwhile, RAF bombers were last night on standby to strike Syrian tyrant Bashar Al-Assad.
Major activity was reported at Britain’s Tornado base in Cyprus shortly before civilian planes were said to have been ordered to clear the airspace over Syria by the US. READ MORE
