Russia, Ukraine trade allegations of chemical weapons use at global watchdog

[May 07, 2024]  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine have accused each other at the global chemical weapons watchdog in The Hague of using banned toxins on the battlefield, the organization said on Tuesday.

The logo of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is seen during a special session in the Hague, Netherlands June 26, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that the accusations were "insufficiently substantiated" but added that "the situation remains volatile and extremely concerning regarding the possible re-emergence of use of toxic chemicals as weapons."

Last week, the U.S. said Russia had violated the international chemical weapons ban overseen by the OPCW by deploying the choking agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops and using riot control agents "as a method of warfare" in Ukraine.

Russia denied the allegations.

The OPCW said it had been monitoring the situation since February 2022, when Moscow invaded Ukraine.

Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, any toxic chemical used with the purpose to cause harm or death, is considered a chemical weapon.

"It is against the Convention to use riot control agents at war on the battlefield. If used as a method of warfare, these agents are considered chemical weapons and, hence, are prohibited under the Convention," the OPCW said.

(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch, Editing by William Maclean)

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