The United States has accused Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukraine in the ongoing war.
According to CNN, the US formally alleged Russia for employing chemical weapons ‘as a method of warfare.’
The US State Department stated that it had “Made a determination … that Russia has used the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).”
It furthered, “The use of such chemicals is not an isolated incident and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield.”
The department claimed that Russia has also used riot control agents or tear gas during the war.
It announced on Wednesday that under a 1991 law against the use of chemical and biological warfare, the State Department is “Re-imposing restrictions on foreign military financing, US Government lines of credit, and export licenses for defence articles and national security-sensitive items going to Russia.”
The United States further alleged Russia has used ‘Chloropicrin’ to ‘dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions.’
According to the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Chloropicrin is an oily substance which was widely used during the WW1 and it causes irritation of the eyes and skin and can cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, in March 2022, a month after the invasion began, warned Russia about a ‘severe price’ if it did use chemical weapons.
“We would respond if he uses it. The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use,” Biden said at that time.
