British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced via her Twitter page that Britain is investigating reports claiming that Russia used chemical weapons in its attack on the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Truss added that any use of such weapons would be a severe escalation in this conflict, and that Britain will hold Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime accountable. This comes as the Russian military operation in Ukraine enters its 48th day on Tuesday, where the Russian army continues to destroy Ukrainian military sites, amid Western efforts to pressure President Putin to withdraw from the military operation that began on February 24.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia may use chemical weapons in Ukraine and urged Western countries to impose strict sanctions on Moscow to prevent Russia from using such weapons against his country. Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian parliament member Iryna Klempush mentioned that Russian forces used an "unknown substance" in Mariupol and that people in the city were suffering from respiratory failure. Klempush tweeted: "Most likely chemical weapons."
This tweet from the Ukrainian parliament member came shortly after the Ukrainian Azov Battalion announced that a Russian drone dropped "toxic material" on Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in Mariupol. The founder of the battalion, Andriy Biletsky, stated in a video message on the Telegram app that after the drone dropped this unknown substance, people suffered from respiratory failures and neurological issues. He added, "Three individuals showed clear signs of poisoning by chemical warfare materials, but without catastrophic consequences." The accuracy of these accusations could not be verified. Russia continues to deny that its forces have committed any war crimes in Ukraine.
