Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday claimed the U.S. is gearing up to “plant” chemical-weapons attacks in Syria and blame them on Bashar al-Assad’s regime. “We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared... in other parts of Syria, including southern Damascus where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using [chemical weapons],” Putin said. The Russian president is reportedly refusing to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when he travels to Moscow this week, deepening the rift between the two nations over Russia’s support for the Assad regime in Syria.
