Zakharova noted the impact of the US sanctions policy on the situation in Syria

The United States purposefully imposed sanctions on Syria in order to maintain influence on the country, which caused dissatisfaction of the population with the socio-economic situation. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on December 11, answering the relevant question of Izvestia.

"As for the United States of America, so they purposefully imposed sanctions on Syria, on the Syrian people for many years, and now they say that the events are somehow related to the discontent of the people with the socio-economic state of affairs. So this socio-economic state of affairs the United States has largely shaped and did not consider it humane to even weaken sanctions for the period of the pandemic," Zakharova said at the briefing.

According to her, the U.S. pursued such a policy, among other things, in order to preserve the factor of influence on Syria.

In addition, Zakharova recalled that Israel, an ally of the United States, openly talks about its role in the Syrian events.

The US and Israel want to take advantage of the situation in Syria. What the media say

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on December 8 that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad left his post after negotiations with the opposition and left the country, instructing to carry out the transfer of power peacefully. Russia later confirmed that Assad and his family had arrived in Moscow.

On the same day, Syria's national coalition of revolutionary and opposition forces said it was working to form a transitional authority. The country's Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali said that most government officials remain in Damascus, and he himself is ready to cooperate with any elected leadership.

Amid these developments, Israel announced the deployment of forces along the Syrian border. The country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the delineation agreement with Syria has been terminated due to the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

Already on Dec. 10, the Israeli army launched strikes on Syria's largest air bases. Damascus promised to notify the UN Security Council about Tel Aviv's violation of the country's sovereignty. Iran called on the Security Council to respond to the military incursion, which the Israeli Foreign Ministry called temporary.

The situation in Syria escalated as a result of a major attack by armed formations in Aleppo and Idlib, which began on November 28 and led to the Syrian army's retaliation against the militants.