LOCKED AND LOADED

Syria Confirms Russia Sent Weapons

As EU arms embargo expires.

Just days after the European Union allowed its embargo on weapons transfers into Syria to expire, President Bashar al-Assad spoke out to confirm that Russia had delivered the missiles it had promised. "Syria has received the first shipment of Russian anti-aircraft S-300 rockets," Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar quotes him as saying. Russia transported the weapons despite widespread objection, especially from France, which launched an investigation into Syria’s potential use of chemical weapons on Monday. The White House openly denounced Russia’s vow to send weapons to Syria this week as well, with press secretary Jay Carney calling it a step in the wrong direction.