Ukrainian forces are deploying chemical weapons against Russian troops on the battlefield, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said. He added that Moscow has amassed enough evidence to prove that Kiev is working with Washington to produce components for biological weapons.
In a commentary for the Russian Zvezda TV channel on Thursday, Ryabkov claimed that Kiev has been engaged in illegal activities related to chemical and biological warfare. However, he noted that it is necessary “to separate the issue of the use of chemical warfare agents, which we, of course register in the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” from that of biological weapons research.
The diplomat said that Russia was informing relevant international agencies about both issues and sends reports to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Regarding the violations of the Biological Weapons Convention, Ryabkov stated that during the nearly two-and-a-half-year conflict the Russian military had collected “comprehensive, extensive material showing the full depth of cooperation between Washington and Kiev in this area.”
He described the alleged violations as “unacceptable” and said they were condemned not only by Russia, but also by many members of the international community. At the same time, Ryabkov said Moscow had not been able to get a clear answer about its concerns from Ukraine and its Western backers.
The OPCW defines a chemical weapon as “a chemical used to cause intentional death or harm through its toxic properties,” which can be dispersed via bombs, artillery shells, or other delivery devices.
Ryabkov’s comments come after the Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier this month it had discovered a Ukrainian chemical laboratory, located not far from the Donbass town of Avdeevka captured by Russian troops, that was apparently used to produce highly toxic hydrogen cyanide. Moscow also claimed, citing a Ukrainian POW, that Kiev used chemical agents to produce kamikaze drones.
Russia has also been sounding the alarm for months about what it says is a vast network of biological laboratories in Ukraine, supported by the US and its NATO allies. The US has acknowledged that there are indeed a number of biolabs on Ukrainian soil, but insists that they are entirely legal and are not being used to produce biological weapons.