Russia has warned Bulgaria that it’s going to react adequately to a decision to close Bulgarian airspace to Russian planes flying relief cargoes to Syria, Nikolay Levichev, the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) vice-speaker and a member of the Duma Committee for Foreign Affairs, told TASS on Tuesday.

“The government of Bulgaria with their decision – no matter its reasons – joins the camp of those that oppose the acting system of international relations. Other routes have already been found for the Russian planes but that path of confrontation with Russia that official Sofia has opted for will bring no benefit to the Bulgarian people,” the Russian commented.

Levichev said it was paradoxical that countries under sanctions turned out to be the only custodians of principles of humanism in a modern world. “Damascus opposes radicals from the IS (Islamic State); Moscow is sending aid to Damascus and Teheran is ready to open an air corridor to Russian planes. But the West is doing nothing but putting a spoke in the wheel. The Bulgarian government stood at attention upon receiving a command from Washington,” the Russian lawmaker said.