Russian broadcaster VGTRK released video on Friday showing an alleged chemical laboratory in Douma, suspected of belonging to militant group Jaish al-Islam.
According to Russian Defence Ministry’s military expert on radiation, chemical, and biological protection, Alexander Rodionov, “the specialists from radiation, chemical and biological protection’s corpses conducted extra examination in the chemical laboratory discovered in Douma.” He went on to say that “they discovered a lot of the chemical substance of hexamine that can be used for production of explosives as well as for synthesis of the poisonous substance sarin.”
Several Western powers, led by the United States, claimed chemical substances were used by Syrian government forces on April 7. The claim has been denied by Damascus and Moscow, who called the allegations a “fabrication.”
On April 14 the US, UK and France launched airstrikes against multiple government targets in Damascus as a response to the alleged chemical attack against Syrian civilians.