Russia using chemical choking agents in Ukraine, US says - BBC News

The state department says Moscow has used a World War One-era weapon to "dislodge" Ukrainian troops.

5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, Ukrainian troops taking part in chemical weapon hazard drillsBy Matt MurphyBBC NewsThe US has accused Russia of deploying chemical weapons as a "method of warfare" in Ukraine, in violation of international laws banning their use.

State department officials said Russia used the choking agent chloropicrin to win "battlefield gains" over Ukraine.

The allegations, which US officials said were not an "isolated" incident, would contravene the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which Russia signed.

The Kremlin rejected the accusations, calling them "baseless".

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Russia stood by its obligations under the CWC, which prohibits states from developing or acquiring new weapons. Some 193 states have ratified the convention.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68941220

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