State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" on Monday that "Russia is taking notice" of the international response to Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons.
Nauert addressed the airstrikes directed against the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, which was accused earlier this month of using chemical weapons in the ongoing civil war. Over the weekend, the United States, the United Kingdom and France took part in coordinated airstrikes against Syrian military facilities.
"I think Russia is taking notice of the United States' actions," Nauert said. "Again, the U.S., the U.K., and France, all standing together – you've heard a chorus of countries coming out in support of the actions that the U.S. and her allies took. I think Russia is taking notice of that."
She added inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPWC) do not need passes from the United Nations to assess the scene of the attack, describing it as an "absolutely ridiculous" assertion put forth by Russia.
"It's another attempt on the part of the Russians to bolster Bashar al-Assad's regime and prevent weapons inspectors from being able to get in," Nauert said. "They need to allow unfettered access to the sites."
She also said "Russia has probably already messed with that site and tried to degrade what is at the site right now, but we know that chemical weapons were used once again on Syrian men, women, and children."
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