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UK attacks Russian support for Syria regime after US airstrikes

The UK government has attacked Russia's role in alliance with the Syria regime as international tensions continue in the aftermath of the suspected chemical attack and retaliatory US airstrikes.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has pulled out of a visit to Moscow saying "we deplore Russia's continued defence of the Assad regime".

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said Russia is responsible for "every civilian death" in Bashar Assad's suspected sarin attack on his own people.

US President Donald Trump has meanwhile written to both chambers of Congress justifying his decision to launch the retaliation strikes.

US senator John McCain has told ITV News the US and its allies must add momentum to Mr Trump's intervention by working to force President Assad out.

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UK's Russian embassy: Johnson decision 'deplorable'

Boris Johnson has cancelled his planned visit to Moscow. Credit: PA

The Russian Embassy in London has described Boris Johnson's decision to cancel his planned visit to Moscow in light of the country's defence of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as "deplorable".

The Foreign Secretary was due to visit Russia on Monday for talks with counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

But on Saturday Mr Johnson announced he would not be travelling to Moscow, saying: "we deplore Russia's continued defence of the Assad regime".

In a tweet on Sunday morning, the Russian embassy said: "It is deplorable that Boris Johnson found himself unfit to stand Western ground on Syria in bilateral talks with Sergey Lavrov".

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