Lavrov made the comments during an interview with Italy’s weekly Panorama.

"The questions about Kurds being used and sold out should be addressed not to us, but to those who fuel separatist sentiment and falsely promise patronage, those who prevent Syria’s legitimate government from restoring control over vast territories of the country, those who encouraged Kurds to unilaterally proclaim a ‘federation’ and formed its law enforcement and military structures having the functions that are an exclusive purview of the Syrian state," Lavrov explained.

He pointed out that charges of using Kurds could not be addressed to Russia by any means, because Russian military personnel was present in Syria at the invitation of Syria’s legitimate government for struggle against terrorist Islamic State (IS).

"Kurdish militias who were defending their homes and their land made their contribution to the defeat of terrorism. They acted as an integral part of Syrian society and as citizens of their country."

Lavrov said Moscow was systematically pressing for the Kurds’ participation in shaping Syria’s postwar future.

On 28 April, Lavrov accused the US of trying to divide Syria while ignoring international law by launching missiles into the country.

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