UK won't 'be able to stay out of' the war if chemical weapons used
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Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed this week it found evidence for the US carrying out a biological weapons programme near the Ukraine-Russia border. Conservative MP Tobias Elwood, also a former Army captain, fears that the claim could be a “despicable pretext that Russia may use to justify their own chemical or biological attack in Ukraine”. Nicholas Drummond, a defence advisor to the Government, appears to agree.
He told Express.co.uk: “What’s happening here is that Russia is using the same tactics that the USA used to legitimise its invasion of Iraq.
“The USA said it believed that Saddam Hussein was developing/possessed significant quantities of WMD. Ultimately, it was discovered that no such weapons existed.
“By doing the same thing, Russia feels able to justify its invasion of Ukraine. This tells the Americans – we are only doing what you did, so keep out of it.”
The Institute for Policy studies describes chemical weapons as “inanimate poisonous substances that incapacitate, injure, or kill through their toxic effects on the skin, eyes, lungs, blood, nerves, or other organs”.
The Kremlin says it has documents to back up the claim that the components of deadly biological weapons are near the Ukraine-Russia border.
Biological weapons are also a subset of WMDs.
The Institute for Policy studies describes these as “infectious or toxic agents (such as bacteria, rickettsia, and viruses) that are derived from natural sources and can cause disease or death”.
Russia’s claim also comes after reports that its military is struggling on the battlefield.
The Ministry of Defence’s intelligence update reads: “The large Russian column north-west of Kyiv has made little progress in over a week and is suffering continued losses at the hands of the Ukrainian armed forces.
“There has been a notable decrease in overall Russian air activity over Ukraine in recent days, likely due to the unexpected effectiveness and endurance of Ukrainian Air Defence Forces.
“Russia has deployed conscript troops to Ukraine despite previous public assurances from President Putin not to do so. As casualties mount, President Putin will be forced to draw from across the Russian Armed Forces and other sources to replace his losses.”
And Mr Drummond does not see the situation easing soon.
He added: “If Russia were able to quickly succeed in defeating and occupying Ukraine, we might have had little recourse but to let it go. No one wants to start World War 3.
“However, the situation in Ukraine has been a strategic and tactical disaster for Putin.
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“Any way you look at it, Russia totally underestimated Ukraine. Russia thought its army would be welcomed by ordinary Ukrainians as liberating heroes, rather than being obliterated by volleys of NLAW and Javelin.
“Putin and his inner circle thought the operation would be a “walk in the park” and therefore its plans did not factor in the potential for stiff resistance.”
Now, it many fear Putin may resort to using chemical weapons as his military comes under pressure.
Chris Philp, a Technology Minister, has accused Russia of promoting disinformation online to fake the idea that Ukraine is preparing to use chemical weapons.
He told Sky News: “We have seen in the last 24 or 48 hours what appear to be bits of disinformation published by Russian state outlets, including in fact the Russian embassy here in London, putting on things like Twitter information that appear to be creating a false narrative that Ukrainians are considering using chemical weapons, which is clearly ridiculous and totally untrue.
“Sometimes they do that in preparation but I hope that’s not what they’re contemplating.
“The use of chemical weapons in any theatre of war, certainly one where there are lots of civilians, is totally unacceptable.”
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