US says Russia is using banned choking agent in attacks on Ukraine

May 02, 2024 at 11:51 AM CDT

The U.S. accuses Russia of violating international law by using chemical weapons in Ukraine, prompting sanctions against Russia entities. — Image credit: Getty Images

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The United States has accused Russia of deploying chemical weapons in Ukraine, a move that violates international law and heightens concerns about the escalating conflict. The U.S. State Department alleges that Russia has used chloropicrin, a choking agent that forces entrenched soldiers to choose between fleeing under enemy fire or risking suffocation.

Chloropicrin — which can cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea — was widely used during World War I. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons classifies it as a choking agent.

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The U.S. asserted that use of the chemical is a clear violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Russia has ratified. Ukraine also accused Russia of using tear gas grenades dropped from drones on Ukrainian positions.

Meanwhile, the State Department announced sanctions on three Russian entities linked to Moscow’s chemical and biological weapons programs.

US includes Chinese groups in sanctions over aid to Russian military https://t.co/vVZZuYvDLU
— Financial Times (@FT) May 1, 2024

Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, denied these allegations, calling them baseless and accusing the United States of trying to intimidate partners like China and block normal trade cooperation.

“It is once again targeting Russian high-tech, transportation and energy companies, meaning to ‘knock out’ competitors from the markets,” Antonov said.

Ukraine claims that Russia has used chemical weapons on the battlefield at least 1,400 times since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, resulting in at least one soldier dying from tear gas suffocation.

Karah Rucker is the host of Bias Breakdown and a daily news anchor for Straight Arrow News. She examines media bias and breaks down left- and right-leaning narratives with impartial analysis.

Tags: China, Russia, Russian Defense Ministry, State Department, Ukraine, Ukraine Defense Ministry, United States, War

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[KARAH RUCKER]

THE UNITED STATES HAS ACCUSED RUSSIA OF DEPLOYING CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN UKRAINE, A MOVE THAT VIOLATES INTERNATIONAL LAW AND RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT THE ESCALATING CONFLICT.

THE US STATE DEPARTMENT ALLEGES THAT RUSSIA HAS USED chloruhpickrin, A CHOKING AGENT THAT CAUSES RESPIRATORY DISTRESS, AGAINST UKRAINIAN TROOPS FORCING ENTRENCHED SOLDIERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FLEEING UNDER ENEMY FIRE OR RISKING SUFFOCATION.

chloruhpickrin) IS A HARMFUL SUBSTANCE THAT CAN CAUSE VOMITING, NAUSEA, AND DIARRHEA, AND WAS WIDELY USED DURING WORLD WAR I. THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS CLASSIFIES IT AS A CHOKING AGENT.

THE US SAYS IT’S A CLEAR VIOLATION OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION, WHICH RUSSIA HAS SIGNED.UKRAINE ALSO ACCUSES RUSSIA OF DROPPING TEAR GAS GRENADES FROM DRONES ONTO UKRAINIAN POSITIONS.

MEANWHILE THE STATE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED SANCTIONS ON THREE RUSSIAN ENTITIES LINKED TO MOSCOW’S CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS.

RUSSIA AMBASSADOR TO THE US HAS DENIED THESE ALLEGATIONS, CALLING THEM BASELESS, ADDING:

[AMBASSADOR]

“The United States is trying to intimidate our partners, including China, to block the channels of normal foreign trade cooperation. It is once again targeting Russian high-tech, transportation, and energy companies, meaning to “knock out” competitors from the markets.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

UKRAINE SAYS THAT RUSSIA HAS USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS ON THE BATTLEFIELD AT LEAST 14-HUNDRED TIMES SINCE THE FULL-SCALE INVASION BEGAN IN 2022 — CLAIMING ONE SOLDIER HAS DIED FROM TEAR GAS SUFFOCATION.

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