Russia is sending attack helicopters to Syria, says Hilary Clinton as she warns that conflict could become 'dramatically' worse

Russia is sending attack helicopters to Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, Hillary Clinton claimed tonight.

The Arab country's bloody 15-month conflict could become 'dramatically' worse if the arms shipment goes ahead, the U.S. Secretary of State warned.

If true, it dashes any hopes of a peace agreement as Western countries had hoped Russia and China would agreeing on a transition plan that would end the four-decade-long Assad regime.

Mrs Clinton said the U.S. was ‘concerned about the latest information we have that there are attack helicopters on the way from Russia to Syria.’

Mrs Clinton, who spoke at a public appearance with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Washington augured poorly for a peaceful solution to Syria's conflict, ‘will escalate the conflict quite dramatically’.

But Moscow has consistently rejected outside forces to end the conflict or any international plan to force regime change in Damascus.

Russia and Syria have a long-standing military relationship and Syria hosts Russia's only naval base on the Mediterranean Sea.

But Moscow insists that any arms it supplies to Syria - which may include attack helicopters like the Kamov KA 50 - are not being used to quell anti-government dissent.

U.S. criticicm came hours after a UN report alleged that Syrian troops have tortured children, executed them and used some as young as eight as 'human shields' during military raids against rebels. Read More

Note: Did everyone miss the Part where the UN also said that the Opposition were using Child Shields?