Russia accuses Ukraine of using toxic substances, planning to use them on large scale

Moscow on Tuesday blamed Kyiv for using toxic substances during the Russia-Ukraine war while planning to use them on a large scale, as evidenced by its "excessive" request for equipment to combat their effects.

"Plans for the large-scale use of toxic substances are reflected in Ukraine's requests for the supply of antidotes, gas masks, and other personal protective equipment in quantities that are clearly excessive," Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's troops of radiological, chemical, and biological defense, said at a press briefing in Moscow.

Kirillov accused the Ukrainian military of systematically using toxic substances and riot control agents during its "special military operation" with Washington's approval and claimed that Kyiv is still attempting to destroy "chemically dangerous sites" in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to him, Ukrainian missile strikes have targeted industrial plants in these regions, particularly in the cities of Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk in the Luhansk region, as well as Avdiivka in Donetsk.

He also recalled Russia's removal from the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), accusing the "collective West" of following a "well-established pattern of discrediting aimed at depriving the Russian Federation of the right to vote in the organization."

He also accused the OPCW of applying double standards, saying Moscow submitted evidence of Ukraine's use of chemical weapons but did not receive a meaningful response.

"We believe it crucially important that the disclosure of U.S. transfers of chemical weapons to Ukraine and the use of toxic chemicals by the AFU has prompted the expert community, including in the West, to consider fulfilling Kyiv and Washington's obligations under the Convention," he said.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia's claims.