Use of force by US in Syria will have grave consequences, Russian envoy says

The use of force under false pretenses against Syria by the U.S. could lead to grave repercussions, Russian envoy to the U.N. Vasily Nebenzya said during a heated debate in the United Nations Security Council meeting late Monday.

"We are quick to condemn chemical weapons in the Security Council, but then Russia prevents any action, vetoing five resolutions on this issue alone," his U.S. counterpart Nikki Haley responded.

"We have reached the moment when the world must see justice done," Haley told the council.

"History will record this as the moment when the Security Council either discharged its duty or demonstrated its utter and complete failure to protect the people of Syria," she said. "Either way, the United States will respond."

The French envoy took the debate to another level later during the session. "Russian aircraft were flying over Damascus when chemical munitions were dropped on Douma, French envoy to the UN says," he said.