“Using chemical weapons would be absurd as the Syrian government is winning the war”.

So says Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who has reiterated his scepticism about the claims being made in Washington.

This was his reaction to the speeches yesterday by US Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama, speeches which seemed to indicate military action was imminent.

“As for the position of our American colleagues, our friends who insist that Syrian government forces used weapons of mass destruction, chemical weapons in this case, and say they have evidence, let them present it to UN inspectors and to the Security Council,” said Putin on Saturday.

Putin added that the Syrian people would also suffer in any attack, and that Syria had to be added to the agenda at the upcoming G20 meeting.

Russia is sending two extra ships into the eastern Mediterranean, ships that experts say could be used to provide Damascus with early warning of missile attacks.