Soldiers from the National Guard of Ukraine are trained to storm enemy trenches using simulation equipment as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine on February 29, 2024.
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The US formally accused Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces and announced late on Wednesday that it would impose more sanctions on Russian individuals and entities.
The US Department of State released a statement On Wednesday afternoon, it accused Russia of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which bans the production and use of chemical weapons, by using the asphyxiant chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces.
'We make this determination in addition to our assessment that Russia has deployed riot control resources [tear gas] as a method of war in Ukraine, also contrary to the CWC. The use of such chemicals is not isolated and is likely motivated by the desire of Russian forces to drive Ukrainian forces out of fortified positions and make tactical gains on the battlefield,” the statement said.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations when reporters asked for comment on Thursday.
“Yes, we have seen the news about this issue. As always, such announcements sound absolutely baseless and are not supported by anything. Russia has been and will continue to adhere to its obligations under international law in this area,” Peskov told reporters. This is reported by the RIA Novosti news agency.
Chloropicrin was used as a poison gas in World War I, but is now more commonly used as an insecticide in agriculture. The “asphyxiant” is no longer authorized for military use and mainly causes respiratory injuries. It irritates the nose, throat and especially the lungs.
“When inhaled, these agents cause alveoli, air sacs in the lungs, to secrete fluid, essentially drowning those affected.” This is according to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Soldiers from the National Guard of Ukraine are trained to storm enemy trenches using simulation equipment as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine on February 29, 2024.
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In February, Ukraine accused Russia of using chemical weapons in more than 200 battlefield attacks in January alone. Russia denied the accusations and in turn accused Ukraine of using chemical weapons. Neither has provided evidence to support its claims, although soldiers have complained of injuries believed to be the result of chemical agents.
The use of CS (or tear gas), is also prohibited as a method of war; Again, both have accused each other of using tear gas in the conflict.
The US said Russia's use of such weapons showed “continued disregard” for its obligations to the CWC. a global treaty in force since 1997 that bans the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.
Russia is one of 193 countries that have ratified the treaty, which calls on signatories to declare their stockpiles of banned chemical weapons and facilities, and to try to destroy such stockpiles.
The continued use of such weapons, the State Department said, “comes from the same playbook as the operations to poison Aleksey Navalny, Sergei and Yulia Skripal with Novichok nerve agents,” referring to the alleged state-orchestrated nerve agent poisoning of opponents of the Kremlin in recent years. Russia denied any involvement in the incidents.
A gas mask used by Russian troops is seen among the waste at the Kherson City landfill on November 22, 2022 in Kherson, Ukraine. In
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The US said it is designating three Russian government entities “linked to Russia's chemical and biological weapons programs and four Russian companies providing support to such entities.”
The Treasury Department separately imposed sanctions on three entities and two individuals “involved in the procurement of goods for military institutions involved in Russia's chemical and biological weapons programs.”
