Putin calls US strikes on Syria illegal

Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned US missile airstrikes on Syria calling it an illegal act of aggression, and warning that the move would further damage already strained US-Russia relations.

Putin, a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, also suspended a deal to avoid mid-air lashes with American fighter jets over the war-torn country. 

"President Putin views the US strikes on Syria as aggression against a sovereign state in violation of the norms of international law and on a made-up up pretext," said a Kremlin statement.

"This step by Washington will inflict major damage on US-Russia ties."

US officials said they had informed Russian forces ahead of the airstrikes - intended to punish the Syrian government for what they say was a chemical weapons attack earlier this week - and had avoided hitting Russian personnel.

Syrian Army officials described the attack as an act of 'blatant aggression', saying it had made the US 'a partner' of ISIS, the ex-Nusra Front and other 'terrorist organisations'. 

Russia had been hoping to co-operate with the US to jointly fight Islamic State in Syria, a move it was hoping would boost US-Russia ties which are at a post-Cold War low.

According to report by Reuters, the US used a special military-to-military hotline to warn Russia it was launching an airstrike on a Syrian air base about 30 minutes in advance - but did not ask Moscow for permission.

Reuters