London:
Britain is attempting to confirm studies that Russia has used chemical weapons in an assault on the besieged Ukrainian metropolis of Mariupol, London’s high diplomat mentioned on Monday.
“Stories that Russian forces might have used chemical brokers in an assault on the folks of Mariupol. We’re working urgently with companions to confirm particulars,” Overseas Secretary Liz Truss wrote on Twitter.
“Any use of such weapons could be a callous escalation on this battle and we are going to maintain Putin and his regime to account.”
Ukrainian lawmaker Ivanna Klympush mentioned Russia had used an “unknown substance” in Mariupol and that folks have been affected by respiratory failure. “Almost definitely chem.weapons!” she tweeted.
Ukraine’s Azov battalion in a Telegram message earlier on Monday had claimed a Russian drone dropped a “toxic substance” on Ukrainian troops and civilians in Mariupol.
The drive additionally claimed that folks have been experiencing respiratory failure and neurological issues.
The battalion’s founder, Andrei Biletsky, mentioned that three folks have been struggling results from an unknown poisonous substance.
“Three folks have clear indicators of poisoning by warfare chemical compounds, however with out catastrophic penalties,” he mentioned in a video tackle on Telegram.
AFP was unable to confirm the claims.
Senior Donetsk separatist official Eduard Basurin had spoken of the potential for utilizing chemical weapons in opposition to the southern port metropolis that has resisted Russian bombardment for weeks.
Basurin mentioned the besieging forces might “flip to chemical troops who will discover a strategy to smoke the moles out of their holes”, Russian information company RIA Novosti quoted him as saying on Monday.
Russia has denied committing any warfare crimes throughout its offensive in Ukraine.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)