Russia's Foreign Ministry blames United States for shelling of Russian Embassy in Damascus

Russia's Foreign Ministry has declared that the shelling the Russian Embassy in Damascus, Syria was the result of "those who, like the US and some of its allies, continue to provoke bloody conflict in Syria [and] flirt with militants and extremists of various types," read a statement posted on the Foreign Ministry website on Tuesday.

The building of Russia's diplomatic mission in Syria, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fell under attack on Monday. The fire came from the suburbs of Jobar, which is controlled by terrorist groups Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra) and Failak ar-Rahman.

The terrorists, read the Ministry's statement, posed "a serious danger to the life and activity of the Russian diplomats in Syria". The Ministry also expressed its "conviction that the answer to the provocative actions of criminals should [come in the form of] coordinated counter-terrorism efforts from the international community."

On Monday, the United States announced the suspension of bilateral contacts with Russia in regards to the situation in Syria. In justifying its decision, the United States maintained that the Russian Federation had not fulfilled the conditions of a truce and failed to provide uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.

Commenting on the American statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry said that the United States was willing to "make a deal with the devil" in order to change the Syrian regime and form alliances with terrorists.