The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has announced that a provocation involving the use of chemical weapons is being prepared in Syria. According to Russian intelligence services, the operation involves intelligence services from NATO countries and Ukraine, which are seeking to discredit the Damascus regime and its ally Moscow in the international arena, including in the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

According to information received from the SVR, the well-known non-governmental organization "White Helmets" is planned to be involved in the implementation of this plan, which will film and record the consequences of the alleged chemical attack. This NGO, according to the Russian special services, will play a key role in the information campaign aimed at accusing the Syrian authorities and Russia of using prohibited weapons.

The provocation plan is reportedly for the militants to use drones to drop containers of chlorine gas on the territory of the Idlib de-escalation zone while striking terrorist positions. Russian intelligence claims that this chemical attack will be presented as an attack by the Syrian government forces, which will allow the organizers of the incident to accuse Damascus and Moscow of violating international conventions banning chemical weapons.