Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said that Washington is working to sustain its control over Syria’s northeast, a region abundant in oil, gas, and agricultural resources.
"The equally destructive factor is Washington's aspiration to preserve its de facto occupation of the oil, gas and agricultural resource-rich areas in north-eastern Syria," Nebenzya said during a UN Security Council meeting on Syria, according to TASS.
He added that the United States and its allies are "using every opportunity to sow chaos" in Syria through economic sanctions and support for extremist groups, including those based in Idlib.
Nebenzya criticized the US for attempting to "whitewash" Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist group designated by the UN Security Council, by portraying it as moderate opposition.
"Such 'double standards' are unacceptable," he emphasized. "The fight against international terrorist groups, which have been designated as such by the UN Security Council, must certainly continue."
The Russian envoy urged the US and its allies to "unconditionally condemn" the actions of groups affiliated with Al-Nusra and back Syria’s legitimate government, echoing the stance of Syria’s neighbors and Arab League members.
He warned that supporting terrorist groups for geopolitical gains often backfires, saying, "As practice has shown, the use of terrorists for the advancement of parochial geopolitical interests always turns against their own patrons."
The comments came amid escalating violence in Syria. On November 27, HTS militants launched a large-scale attack in northern Syria, targeting neighborhoods and military positions, according to the Syrian government army command.
Syrian forces responded with an operation to repel the attack, regrouping to protect civilians and prepare for counteroffensives. On November 30, the Syrian defense ministry reported that government forces were striking terrorist positions in Aleppo to regain control.