A Russian general was killed while battling ISIS militants near the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, Moscow’s defense ministry said Sunday.

“Division general Valeri Assapov was killed when a shell exploded during shelling by ISIS fighters,” the ministry was quoted as saying by local media, adding that the officer was serving as an advisor to Syrian government troops.

Last Update: Sunday, 24 September 2017 KSA 22:12 - GMT 19:12</s>the Russian Defense Ministry has announced.In its statement, the ministry said that Asapov was at a command outpost manned by Syrian troops, assisting commanders in the liberation of the city of Deir ez-Zor."As a result of a sudden mortar shelling by IS militants, Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov was fatally wounded by an exploding shell," the MoD said.In recognition of his services, Lieutenant-General Asapov is to be presented with a state decoration posthumously.Earlier in September the Syrian armed forces, working closely with the Russian Air Force, successfully broke the siege of Deir ez-Zor by Islamic State, and residents' lives have begun to return to some semblance of normality. With the highway between Deir ez-Zor and Palmyra back under government control, Russian and Syrian humanitarian aid has finally been able to flow through to the formerly besieged inhabitants.</s>MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The death of a Russian general in Syria is the price that Russia paid for the duplicity of the United States in actions aimed at resolving the crisis in the region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday.

“The death of the Russian commander is that price, the payment in blood for the duplicity of US policy in Syria,” Ryabkov told reporters.

The Defense Ministry earlier circulated an aerial survey of the areas where Daesh militants were stationed north of the city of Deir ez-Zor, clearly showing US special forces’ military vehicles at strongholds previously fortified by terrorists.

On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov, who headed a group of Russian military advisers, was killed near the city of Deir ez-Zor during a mortar attack by terrorists from Daesh (banned in Russia).</s>MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The death of a Russian general in Syria is the price that Russia paid for the duplicity of the United States in actions aimed at resolving the crisis in the region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday.

"The death of the Russian commander is that price, the payment in blood for the duplicity of US policy in Syria," Ryabkov told reporters.

On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov, who headed a group of Russian military advisers, was killed near the city of Deir ez-Zor during a mortar attack by terrorists from Daesh (banned in Russia).</s>Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov died after sustaining a "fatal injury" in the "sudden Daesh mortar shelling," the ministry said.

"Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov died in the Syrian Arab Republic as a result of the Daesh shelling," the statement said.

The ministry specified that Asapov was a member of the group of Russian military advisers providing Syrian commanders with the assistance during the operation aimed at the liberation of the city of Deir ez-Zor.

According to the ministry, the deceased serviceman would recieve state award posthumously.

In early September, the Syrian government troops, backed by Russian airstrikes, broke three years-long Daesh blockade to the west and south of Deir ez-Zor. On Monday, the Syrian Army crossed the Euphrates River with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces near Deir ez-Zor, knocking militants out from a number of settlements, and are currently developing an offensive eastward.</s>WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Claims that the United States supported or was complicit in the death Russian Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov in Syria are completely false, US Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement on Monday.

Nauert also stated that accusations that the US supports Daesh are groundless as the only aim is to defeat terrorists.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the death of the Russian general in Syria was the price that Russia paid for the duplicity of the United States’ stance in the Syrian crisis.

Nauert in turn stressed that the United States will continue to de-conflict operations with Russia, and recent statements made by the Russian officials are “untrue and unhelpful.”

On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov, who headed a group of Russian military advisers, was killed near the city of Deir ez-Zor during a mortar attack by terrorists from Daesh (banned in Russia).

The Defense Ministry earlier released aerial images of Daesh deployment sites north of Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, where US equipment and special operations are clearly visible but without any “evidence of assault, struggle or any US-led coalition airstrikes to drive out the militants.”

The press office of Operation Inherent Resolve told Sputnik that Russian statements that US special operations forces are colluding with Daesh terrorist group to aid the advance of Syrian Democratic Forces are false.

Earlier in the day, Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said during a Pentagon press briefing he was not aware of the Russian Defense Ministry statements.</s>The death of Russian Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov in Syria is the price Russia was forced to pay for hypocritical US policy, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

“The death of the Russian commander is the price paid with blood for the hypocrisy of American policy in Syria," Ryabkov said on Monday.

General Asapov was serving as one of Russia’s military advisers in Syria. On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry said he was fatally wounded by an exploding shell in a sudden mortar attack by IS terrorists.

Moscow is concerned that while Washington claims it is interested in fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS\ISIL) terrorists, it demonstrates quite the opposite, according to the deputy minister.

The deputy minister said Moscow wants Washington’s statements on fighting terrorism not to be at odds with its actions on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Russian and US militaries maintain “intensive” contacts at different levels, Ryabkov said.

On Sunday, the Russian Ministry of Defense published aerial images which they say show US Army special forces equipment located north of the Syrian town of Deir ez-Zor, where IS militants are deployed.

The US troops do not face any “resistance from the ISIS militants,” while their positions have no screening patrol, which could indicate that they “feel absolutely safe” in the area, the ministry said.

However, the US Central Command has denied the accusations in a written statement to RT.

“The allegations are false. For operational security, we do not comment on ongoing operations or the current positions of Coalition personnel and our partner forces,” the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve said.

READ MORE: Russian forces did not target Kurdish-led SDF units near Deir ez-Zor – Moscow</s>The death of Russian Lieutenant-General Valery Asapov in Syria is the price Russia was forced to pay for hypocritical US policy, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov."The death of the Russian commander is the price paid with blood for the hypocrisy of American policy in Syria," Ryabkov said on Monday.Moscow is concerned that while Washington claims it is interested in fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISISISIL) terrorists, it demonstrates quite the opposite, according to the deputy minister.Meanwhile, the Russian and US militaries maintain "intensive" contacts at different levels, Ryabkov said.On Sunday, the Russian Ministry of Defense published aerial images which they say show US Army special forces equipment located north of the Syrian town of Deir ez-Zor, where IS militants are deployed.The US troops do not face any "resistance from the ISIS militants," while their positions have no screening patrol, which could indicate that they "feel absolutely safe" in the area, the ministry said.However, the US Central Command has denied the accusations in a written statement to RT."The allegations are false. For operational security, we do not comment on ongoing operations or the current positions of Coalition personnel and our partner forces," the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve said.</s>Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov died after sustaining a "fatal injury" in the "sudden Daesh mortar shelling," the ministry said.

"Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov died in the Syrian Arab Republic as a result of the Daesh shelling," the statement said.

According to the ministry, the deceased serviceman will receive a state award posthumously.

In early September, the Syrian government troops, backed by Russian airstrikes, broke a three-year Daesh blockade to the west and south of Deir ez-Zor. On Monday, the Syrian Army crossed the Euphrates River with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces near Deir ez-Zor, knocking militants out from a number of settlements, and are currently developing an offensive eastward.</s>The death of Russian General Valery Asapov in Syria, who was killed in a mortar shelling attack unleashed by terrorists, comes as a direct result of Washington’s two-faced policy in Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Monday.

“The tragedy that we witnessed, the death of a Russian commander, is the price paid in blood for this double-dealing in the US’ policy [in the war on terror],” the diplomat said.

Russia’s Lt. Gen. Asapov, who helped Syrian forces during the operation to lift the blockade of Deir ez-Zor, died as a result of Daesh shelling, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.

Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov died after sustaining a “fatal injury” in the “sudden Daesh mortar shelling,” the ministry said.

The ministry specified that Asapov served a member of the group of Russian military advisers providing Syrian commanders with assistance during the operation aimed at the liberation of the city of Deir ez-Zor.

According to the ministry, the deceased serviceman will receive a state award posthumously.

On Monday (25.09.2017) the Syrian Army crossed the Euphrates River with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces near Deir ez-Zor, knocking militants out from a number of settlements, and are currently developing an offensive eastward.
A Russian lieutenant general, Valery Asapov, is killed by mortar fire from ISIL militants near the city of Deir ez-Zor, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. Asapov has been described as one of the senior Russian military advisers in Syria.