As Russian forces advance inside the city and Ukrainian units retreat from most of its sectors, the issue of chemical substances is gaining major geopolitical weight.
The announcement by the Russian Federal Security Service FSB on 22 November regarding the detection of toxic substances in a Ukrainian cache near Pokrovsk added fuel to the fire of a conflict that is already escalating dramatically.
As Russian forces advance inside the city and Ukrainian units withdraw from most of it, the matter of chemical substances is acquiring great geopolitical significance.
The findings announced by the FSB
According to the regional directorate of the FSB, in a cache allegedly used by Ukrainian units the following were found:
1) Sealed tubes containing chloropicrin, a substance classified among prohibited chemical agents
2) Plastic explosives
3) Gasoline containers designed so that upon detonation they produce phosgene, an extremely toxic and dangerous gas
The Russian services claim that the material was integrated into improvised devices that could be used on UAVs.
They also announced that the order to manufacture and use the chemicals allegedly originated from Ukrainian commander Sergei Filimonov.
Similar allegations have been made in the past, the FSB notes that a similar cache was discovered in July near Ilinka.
Russia presents incidents continuously, the West remains silent
Rodion Miroshnik, special envoy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for war crimes, stated that more than 400 incidents involving prohibited chemicals were recorded only in the summer of 2024, accusing the West outright of covering for Kyiv’s actions.
It is worth noting that these claims have not been independently confirmed, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons OPCW has not launched an official investigation.
Its absence from the public discussion fuels doubts, questions and political conflict, particularly as the issue of chemical weapons is a red line under international law.
Pokrovsk as the center of the crisis
The timing is not accidental.
Pokrovsk in recent weeks has become one of the most critical sectors of the front, with Moscow having announced that it has expelled the majority of Ukrainian forces.
During periods of intense fighting, accusations of prohibited methods of warfare carry heavy significance, as they can influence:
1) International public opinion
2) The flow of military aid
3) The legitimacy of each side’s operations
4) The upcoming negotiations under American pressure
If the Ukrainian side is using toxic substances, then this constitutes a serious violation of international conventions.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών