Russia Stands By Assad As Syria Claims Rebels Used Chemical Weapons

Russia says Syria has provided new "material evidence" that Syrian rebels, not government forces, are responsible for using chemical weapons in the deadly attack on the town of Ghouta on August 21, 2013.

Russia, a long-time ally of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad is also blasting a report by United Nations weapons inspectors about the attack, calling the document biased, politicized and one-sided.

Russia also notes that the report deals only with the Ghouta attack and not with three previous incidents where chemical weapons were also allegedly used.

The tensions come as the U.N. works to draft a Security Council resolution on Syria's chemical weapons, and with less than a week before Syria is supposed to provide a complete list of its chemical weapons supply and facilities.