Russia has issued veiled threats regarding a potential chemical attack in Syria’s Idlib province, fabricating claims of NATO and Ukrainian intelligence plans to stage a chemical attack and “frame” Assad and Putin’s governments. The “warning,” a veiled threat from Russia, comes amid a surge in regime and Russian military activity in the region, where attacks continue to target civilian areas and heighten concerns about the possible use of chemical weapons by Assad and his allies.
In a statement released by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS), Moscow claimed that “Western and Ukrainian intelligence agencies, in coordination with opposition forces in Idlib, are planning to carry out a chemical attack.” The alleged plot involves the use of chlorine gas dropped from drones during Syrian and Russian strikes on Idlib, aiming to frame the Assad regime and Russia for the attack.
The FIS also accused the Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets, of filming the incident for international propaganda purposes. Russia has long accused the White Helmets, volunteer first responders, and emergency services in the liberated territories, of staging chemical attacks on behalf of Western powers, claims that have been consistently refuted and debunked by independent observers.
This veiled threat follows a period of increased military action in Idlib. On September 29, regime forces bombarded the town of Sarmin, killing two civilians and wounding others in what was the latest in a series of deadly strikes on civilian areas. According to the White Helmets, hundreds of similar attacks have occurred in 2024, with regime forces and their Russian allies targeting towns in Idlib and the Aleppo countryside.
The shelling has focused on populated areas, including schools and public facilities, leading to the deaths of 54 people, including 15 children, since the beginning of the year. A recent attack on the town of Kafr Nouran, in Aleppo’s western countryside, targeted civilians as students were leaving school, creating widespread panic and further fueling concerns about indiscriminate violence.
Russia’s recent accusations mark a continuation of its long-standing narrative surrounding chemical weapon use in Syria. Over the past several years, Moscow has repeatedly accused revolutionary forces and “Western intelligence agencies” of planning false-flag chemical attacks to discredit the Syrian regime. These allegations often surface during periods of international scrutiny over Syria’s chemical weapons program.
Analysts view Russia’s latest accusations as part of a strategy of shifting blame for the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Idlib. By accusing NATO and Ukraine of plotting chemical attacks, Russia is likely seeking to deflect attention from its own role in the devastation caused by airstrikes and artillery bombardments in the region.
