Ukrainian Regiment Accuses Russia of Using Chemical Weapons in Mariupol
The claims have not been verified by a credible source, but NATO has indicated chemical weapons are a red line.
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Ukrainian forces in Mariupol on Monday accused Russia of using chemical munitions in the deadly fight for the city, raising new fears that the allegation alone will justify NATO engagement in the conflict.
NATO leaders have been providing Kyiv with an historic amount of weapons to help in their effort to take on the much-larger Russian military.
The alleged chemical weapons attack comes days after the Western media blamed Russia for committing the massacre in Bucha and firing the missiles that struck a train station packed with Ukrainian children and women who were fleeing the country.
Russia has denied the claims and blamed these incidents on Ukrainian forces. Moscow was suspended from the UN’s Human Rights Council over the incident and European countries used the killings to justify sending more military aid to Ukraine.
NO CONFIRMATION
The Pentagon told reporters Monday that it is aware of social media posts, but cannot confirm the use, Jeff Seldin, national security correspondent for VOANews tweeted.
John Kriby, the Pentagon press secretary, said these unconfirmed reports are “reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents.”
The claim was made by the Azoz Regiment on Telegram.
“About an hour ago, #Russian occupation forces used a poisonous substance of unknown origin against #Ukrainian military & civilians in the city of #Mariupol, which was dropped from an enemy UAV,” the regiment said.
NATO has indicated that it would be forced to respond if Russia carried out any chemical attacks in the war.
Mircea Geoană, NATO’s deputy general secretary, told The Associated Press that the Alliance “is ready to respond proportionately.”
If Russia uses “chemical weapons or other kinds of higher-end systems against Ukraine, this will be changing fundamentally the nature of the war that Mr. Putin has waged against Ukraine.”
NBC News last week published a report that challenged Washington's claim that Russia is planning a chemical attack against Ukrainian forces, with one unnamed official going as far as to say that the claim was an effort by the U.S. to get into Russian President Vladimir Putin's head.
Russia said Kyiv could very well use chemical weapons against its own people in an effort to further isolate Russia from Europe and the U.S.
PUTIN WANTED TO JOIN NATO IN 2000
Ian Bremmer, the political scientist, tweeted that the chemical weapons claim has not been verified by “credible sources.” He pointed out that Russian troops are close to taking the city after weeks of intense fighting and Ukrainian forces there are out of ammunition.
“I’m (thankfully) skeptical,” he said.
TRENDPOST: Gerald Celente and Judge Andrew Napolitano discussed the killings in Bucha on “Celente & the Judge” last week. Napolitano said the Western media is attempting to gin up Americans for a future war with Russia.
“I’m not blaming the networks because they are in the business of getting ratings. And they see dead bodies with their hands tied behind their back… this is ginning up the public to accept the concept that we might enter that war. This is ginning up the public. The government, the military-industrial complex, the media getting the public ready for war.”
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