© Russian Defense Ministry
"We have summoned the US, UK, French, German, Italian, Saudi Arabian, Turkish and NATO military attaches today to give a formal explanation of these statements or to refute them. This especially concerns a number of outrageous allegations in the English-speaking media about alleged airstrikes on hospitals," Antonov said.
According to him, information attacks on the Russian Aerospace Forces' actions in Syria have intensified in a number of Western media outlets.
"We are being accused not only of launching airstrikes on 'moderate opposition', but also on civilian targets like hospitals, as well as mosques and schools. As a result, civilians are allegedly killed, according to Western media reports," Antonov added.
He expressed regret that "some officials and politicians of a number of foreign states make similar statements [on civilian deaths in Russian airstrikes in Syria]."
Antonov cited statements made by US State Secretary John Kerry, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon and French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as examples.
The Russian Defense Ministry is "closely monitoring and analyzing these statements," he added. According to him, Russia is bringing Russian and international communities to the notice about the Russian aviation's actions in Syria on a daily basis.
"If our partners have some additional information, we have long called on them to share it with us."
He added that if no evidence on civilian deaths in Russian airstrikes in Syria was provided in a few days, Moscow would come to a conclusion that the claims were part of the information warfare against Russia.
"But if there is no evidence [of civilian casualties in Syria] or official refutal, we will consider that these anti-Russian media hoaxes are part of the information war against Russia."
"In every case when the information is confirmed about destroyed hospitals, mosques and schools, as well as the deaths of civilians as a result of the Russian Air Force's actions we will conduct a thorough investigation, of which Western media... will be informed."
Comment: Russia has every right to demand an explanation. The US is clearly involved in a propaganda war to demonize Russia in the eyes of the Western population. The public would do well to demand proof of any claims, much like the Russian government has here. Without proof, the claims of civilian deaths are merely hot air, and sadly, ironic since the US recently bombed a civilian hospital in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia did the same in Yemen. They hardly have the moral standing to complain about Russia.