Russian troops are accused of carrying out ‘daily’ illegal chemical attacks on the Ukrainian frontline.
Drones have been reported circling over several positions along the Ukrainian front, dropping “tear gas and other chemicals,” which are banned in wartime under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
A Ukrainian army commander told the Telegraph: “The only way they can attack us successfully is with gas,” because his forces are so entrenched that attacks with conventional artillery or missile-firing drones were difficult.
He added that once the gas hits, troops panic, even if not fatally, and “the first instinct is to get out,” at which point they can be more easily picked up by Russian forces.
A K-51 gas grenade, usually filled with tear gas, collected by soldiers of the 53rd Mechanized Brigade ‘while they were under fire because no one believed they were being attacked with chemical weapons’
Soldiers of the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine run to their positions on the front line. Ukraine claims there have been 626 gas-related attacks by Russia since the outbreak of war
Ukrainian soldiers fire an artillery towards Siversk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. As soon as the gas hits, even if it is not fatal, the troops panic and ‘the first instinct is to get out’
Ukraine claims there have been 626 gas-related attacks by Russia since the outbreak of war.
Another commander from Robotnye, Zaporizhia Oblast, where a Russian offensive is underway, said soldiers must now wear gas masks at all times, although often they are ex-Soviet models and therefore not very effective.
One of these grenades was investigated 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.”
She also claimed she was present last year when a suspected hydrogen cyanide attack took place.
Marc-Michael Blum, a chemical weapons expert, later confirmed that the device received was a K-51 gas grenade, which is usually filled with tear gas.
Last night, Russian forces attacked Ukraine in Kharkiv with drones and missiles, killing at least six people and wounding 11 others, local officials said.
Another commander from Robotnye, Zaporizhia Oblast, where an ongoing Russian offensive is taking place, said soldiers must now wear gas masks at all times, although often they are ex-Soviet models and therefore not very effective
A general view of smoke rising from the Avdiivka coke and chemical plant on February 15, 2023 in Avdiivka district, Ukraine
An American doctor claimed last year that she was present when a suspected hydrogen cyanide attack took place. Pictured: A Ukrainian soldier from the 82nd Separate Air Assault Brigade pilots a Challenger 2 tank at a secret location near the front line in the Zaporizhia region, on February 12, 2024
On Saturday afternoon, another attack on Kharkov killed one more person and injured another, Kharkov Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Another rocket attack killed a civilian in the southern region of Odesa, Governor Oleh Kiper said.
Kharkov Region Governor Oleh Syniehubov said rocket attacks on the city damaged residential buildings, a gas station, a kindergarten, a cafe, a shop and cars.
In total, Russia fired 32 Iranian-made Shahed drones and six missiles into Ukraine in one night, the air force commander said.
Ukrainian air defense forces shot down three cruise missiles and 28 drones, Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk said in a statement.
“Russian murderers 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 missiles into Russia on Saturday morning.
All ten were shot down by air defense systems over the Russian border region of Belgorod, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
On the ground in Ukraine, Russian forces were advancing, and pushing them back was “difficult,” said Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Syrskyi said the situation in the Bakhmut area of the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region was particularly challenging.
He said Russian forces are conducting offensive operations day and night, using strike groups with the support of armored vehicles, as well as attacking on foot.
Heavy fighting is taking place east of the city of Khasiv Yar, which Ukraine still controls and which is close to the occupied city of Bakhmut.
Russian forces are trying to break through defense lines there, Syrskyi said on the messaging app Telegram, adding that “Chasiv Yar remains under our control, all enemy attempts to break through to the settlement have failed.”
Near Avdiivka, another Russian-held city in the Donetsk region, the fiercest battles took place in Pervomaiskyi and Vodyanyi, the official said.
He also said the situation is tense in the southern and northeastern parts of the frontline.