State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert on Monday praised the airstrikes by the United States, United Kingdom, and France against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and said Russia was "taking notice" of the international response.
Nauert spoke with Fox News' Bill Hemmer on the targeted airstrikes which hit Syrian military facilities, including those which produce chemical weapons. Nauert said that Russia was delaying the entrance of international inspectors into the area of the April 7 chemical weapons attacks. Nauert said Russia's claims that Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPWC) inspectors need a United Nation's pass to access the attack sites were "absolutely ridiculous."
"It's another attempt on the part of the Russians to bolster Bashar al-Assad's regime and prevent weapons inspectors from being able to get in," Nauert said. "They need to allow unfettered access to the sites."
"By the way, Russia has probably already messed with that site and tried to degrade what is at the site right now, but we know that chemical weapons were used once again on Syrian men, women, and children," Nauert said.
Hemmer asked about Russia's lack of a response on the ground in Syria to the air strikes.
"There was concern before the raid that there could be retaliation, and there was not," Hemmer noted.
Nauert said despite Russia's rhetoric–it which it tries to lie and disassociate itself with chemical weapons attacks–Russia has taken notice of America's actions.
"I think Russia is taking notice of the United States' actions," Nauert said. "Again, the U.S., the U.K., and France, all standing together–you've heard a chorus of countries coming out in support of the actions that the U.S. and her allies took. I think Russia is taking notice of that."