Russia accused of carrying out illegal chemical attacks in Ukraine

Russian troops have been accused of carrying out “daily” illegal chemical attacks on the Ukrainian front.

Drones have reportedly been flying over multiple positions along the Ukrainian front and releasing “tear gas and other chemicals,” which are prohibited in times of war under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

A Ukrainian army commander told the Telegraph: “The only way they can successfully attack us [is] with gas’, because its troops are so embedded that it was difficult to attack with conventional artillery or drones firing missiles.

He added that once the gas hits, even if it is not fatal, troops panic and “the first instinct is to get out,” after which they can be more easily eliminated by Russian forces.

Ukraine has claimed that there have been 626 gas-related attacks by Russia since the outbreak of the war.

Another commander in Robotnye, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where a Russian offensive is underway, said soldiers now have to wear gas masks at all times, although they are often ex-Soviet models so they are not very effective.

One of these grenades was examined by the Telegraph, which reported that Rebekah Maciorowski, an American combat medic, had received it from soldiers of the 53rd Mechanized Brigade “while they were under fire because no one believed they were being attacked with chemical weapons.”

He also claimed that he was present last year when an alleged hydrogen cyanide attack occurred.

Marc-Michael Blum, a chemical weapons expert, later confirmed that the device received was a K-51 gas grenade, which is normally filled with tear gas.

Overnight, Russian forces attacked Ukraine in Kharkiv with drones and missiles, killing at least six people and wounding 11 more, local officials said.

On Saturday afternoon, another attack in Kharkiv killed another person and wounded another, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Another missile attack killed a civilian in the southern region of Odessa, its governor Oleh Kiper said.

The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, said the missile strikes in the city damaged residential buildings, a gas station, a daycare center, a cafe, a store and cars.

In total, Russia fired 32 Iranian-made Shahed drones and six missiles at Ukraine overnight, according to the air force commander.

Ukrainian air defense forces shot down three cruise missiles and 28 drones, Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk said in a statement.

“Russian killers continue to terrorize Ukrainians and attack Kharkiv and other peaceful cities,” he said.

The Russian military has not commented on the attacks, but said Ukraine fired Vampire rockets at Russia on Saturday morning.

All 10 of them were shot down over the Russian border region of Belgorod by air defense systems, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

In Ukraine, Russian forces were advancing and confronting them was “difficult,” said Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Syrskyi said the situation in the Bakhmut area in the partially occupied eastern region of Donetsk was particularly difficult.

He said Russian forces are carrying out offensive operations day and night, using assault groups supported by armored vehicles, as well as foot attacks.

Fierce battles are being fought east of the city of Chasiv Yar, still controlled by Ukraine and located near the occupied city of Bakhmut.

Russian forces are trying to break through defensive lines there, Syrskyi said on the Telegram messaging app, adding that “Chasiv Yar remains under our control, all enemy attempts to penetrate the settlement have failed.”

Near Avdiivka, another city in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region, the fiercest battles occurred in Pervomaiskyi and Vodyanyi, according to the official.

He also said that the situation is tense in the southern and northeastern parts of the front line.