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Russian Army Medic Killed By Rebels in Aleppo

Hassan Ammar / AP

A Russian female army medic was killed when rebel forces shelled a hospital in Aleppo. Two other medics were wounded in the attack.

"Today, between 12:21 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. Moscow time, the medical center of the Defense Ministry’s mobile hospital was subjected to the militants’ artillery fire while receiving local residents," Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday. 

"When a mortar round directly hit the hospital’s reception department, one Russian female medic was killed."

Konashenkov claimed that the militants had precise data on the location of the Russian hospital. 

He also lashed out at the West in his statement, labeling the United States, France, and Britain as sponsors of the Syrian opposition forces. 

"Yes, the sponsors of terrorists in the U.S., Britain, and France, as well as other countries sympathizing with them, you are to blame," he said. 

Earlier today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that any rebel forces who refuse to leave east Aleppo would be regarded as terrorists. 

"By refusing to leave eastern Aleppo they will, in fact, continue the armed struggle," Lavrov said. 

UPDATE: The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed the death of a second Russian medic in the hospital attack. 

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