George Soros blasts Putin for Russian actions in Syria

Big name investor George Soros has condemned Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict after a barrage of air raids rained down on the key city of Aleppo.

Soros said Russian president Vladimir Putin was exploiting uncertainty surrounding the upcoming US election.

In a statement posted on his website on Thursday morning, Soros, who gained notoriety from shorting the Bank of England in 1992 to profit $1bn, accused Putin of war crimes.

"The world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of historic proportions. It is happening in Syria. It is being perpetrated by the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in support of his protégé, Bashar al-Assad," the statement read.

"When the facts are fully established, Putin's bombing of Aleppo will be viewed as among the modern world's most egregious war crimes," he added.

The Syrian civil war has been ongoing for the past six years and hopes for a resolution were dashed last month after a ceasefire was broken, leading to the deadly airstrikes in Aleppo.

Soros appealed to the people of Russia and further afield to express their outrage at the president's actions.

"I appeal to the people of Russia, Europe, and the rest of the world not to stand idly by, but to spread the word and voice their outrage."

"An outpouring of public opinion could induce President Putin to put an end to his heinous crimes against humanity."