Russia vetoed a French-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution on Saturday that would have demanded an immediate end to air strikes and military flights over Syria's Aleppo city and called for a truce and humanitarian aid access throughout Syria, Reuters reported. It is the fifth time Russia has vetoed a U.N. resolution on Syria during the more than five-year conflict. The previous four times Moscow was backed by Beijing, but on Saturday China abstained from the vote. Angola also abstained, while Venezuela joined Russia in voting against the text. Eleven of the 15 council members voted in favor of the draft resolution. A U.N. resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes to be adopted. The veto powers are the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China.
