He did not offer proof for the assertion

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia had information that the United States was planning to launch new missile strikes on Syria, and that there were plans to fake chemicals weapons attacks there.

Standing alongside Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who was in Moscow for talks, Mr. Putin, when asked by a reporter if he expected more U.S. missile strikes on Syria, said: “We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using [chemical weapons].”

He did not offer any proof for that assertion.

Russia has defended the Syrian government, a staunch ally, against U.S. allegations it was behind the nerve gas attack in Syria’s Idlib province last week which killed scores, saying there is no evidence to underpin such an allegation.

Call for probe

Mr. Putin said on Tuesday Russia would be urgently asking the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate the incident.

Speaking after Mr. Tillerson said earlier on Tuesday he hoped Russia would conclude it was wrong to align itself with the Syrian government, the Russian President said that his government would tolerate Western criticism of its role in Syria but hoped that attitudes would eventually soften.