The UK has sanctioned Russian troops it believes have used chemical weapons in the battlefield of Ukraine.
The Russian Radiological Chemical and Biological Defence forces, and their commander, Lt Gen Igor Kirillov will be subject to a travel ban and an asset freeze. Two Russian defence ministry scientific laboratories were also designated.
The Foreign Office also said that Kirillov was a “significant mouthpiece” for Kremlin misinformation.
The US has accused Russian forces using hazardous chemicals, including tear gas and toxic choking agents chloropicrin, in Ukraine.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the UK would not “sit idly by” as Putin and his mafia-state trampled on international law, including Chemical Weapons Convention.
Lammy called Russia’s “flagrant use” of chemical agents “cruel” and “inhuman” and pledged to use all powers at his disposal in order to combat this “malign activity”.
John Healey, the Secretary of Defence, announced the sanctions by saying: “Our message to Putin’s regime is clear: You cannot break international laws without facing consequences.”
Healey said that the two Russian Ministry of Defence centers were sanctioned because they “supported the development and deployment of inhumane weapons to be used on the front line”.
He added that the UK provides Ukraine with essential equipment and training in order to protect its citizens against chemical weapons.
In May, the US accused Russia that it had used chemical weapons in Ukraine as a “method” of warfare, in violation with international laws prohibiting their use.
State Department officials claimed that Russia used the choking agents chloropicrin and “battlefield wins” over Ukraine.
The Kremlin dismissed the accusations at that time, calling them “baseless”.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a global watchdog overseeing implementation of the CWC says a chemical weapons is a substance that is used to intentionally cause death or harm by its toxic properties.
The oily substance chloropicrin, which the US claims Russia used to “dislodge Ukrainian troops from fortified position” was widely used in World War One. According to the US Centre for Disease Control, it can cause irritation of the lungs and eyes, and can also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
The CWC expressly prohibits the use of this chemical in war, and the OPCW lists it as a choking agents.
US officials have said that Russian troops regularly use “riot control agents,” such as tear gas, during war in Ukraine.
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