Putin condemns strikes, calls for urgent UN security council meeting

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has hit out at the strikes, saying that the United States is "exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe" in Syria and has called for an emergency UN security council meeting.

"Russia strongly condemns the attack on Syria where Russian servicemen are helping the legitimate government in the war on terrorism," Putin said.

"By its actions, the United States is increasingly exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria and bringing sufferings to civilians," he said.

Putin also repeated Russia's claim that the chemical attack in Douma was staged as a pretext for intervention.