UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, May 29 — Russian propaganda is spreading statements of the Russian Ministry of Defense accusing the Ukrainian military of using toxic substances against the Russian military, reported the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD).

“In addition, the enemy’s propaganda resources are spreading information about the alleged intention of the Ukrainian military to use gasses for chemical warfare, including the banned lewisite, in the Kharkiv sector in the near future,” the Center for Countering Disinformation informed.

In this way, CCD reports, Russia is trying to shift attention away from its war crimes and justify terror against the civilian population of Ukraine.

On May 1, the United States accused Russia of violating the International Chemical Weapons Convention by using chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops.

“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 State Department said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations. 

Russia using chemical weapons became a subject of discussion at a meeting of the UN Security Council on May 20, where a Ukrainian representative said, “Russian troops flagrantly violate the Chemical Weapons Convention by resorting to artillery shelling with chemically hazardous substances,” connecting these instances, in particular, to Russia’s new offensive north of Kharkiv Oblast.

On February 6, 2024, Russia’s State Investigative Committee claimed that it was investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons by Ukrainian forces near the eastern Ukrainian cities of Soledar and Bakhmut (Donetsk region), Reuters reported.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces stated that they had never used chemical weapons anywhere and accused Moscow of disinformation and the use of outlawed weapons.

“Ukraine complies with the terms of the Chemical Weapons Convention. At the same time, the Russian Federation is recognized as a violator of this Convention,” the Center for Countering Disinformation said.

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