Russia on Wednesday slammed as "absurd" accusations by the United States that Russian air strikes in Syria are killing hundreds of civilians.
Russia has come under growing criticism from the West as well as human rights groups and Syrian rebels for inflicting civilian casualties in its two-month bombing campaign in the war-torn country.
The US State Department said Tuesday that the Russian strikes had killed hundreds of civilians" and hit "medical facilities, schools and markets."
"All of these anonymous and unsubstantiated statements about the alleged use of Russian aircraft on civilian targets in Syria is increasingly reminiscent of hypnotists' acts in traveling circuses," Russia's defense ministry said in a statement, calling the claims "absurd."