Russian convoy heads towards jap Ukraine as new Mariupol demise toll emerges

The U.S. Protection Division is monitoring unconfirmed stories that Russia has used chemical weapons throughout its siege of the Ukrainian port metropolis of Mariupol, a senior official mentioned Monday night.

American intelligence has not been capable of confirm the accounts, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby mentioned, however Western leaders have for weeks warned that Moscow might make use of such ways.

“We’re conscious of social media stories which declare Russian forces deployed a possible chemical munition in Mariupol, Ukraine,” Kirby mentioned in a press release. “We can’t affirm presently and can proceed to watch the scenario carefully. These stories, if true, are deeply regarding and reflective of issues that now we have had about Russia’s potential to make use of quite a lot of riot management brokers, together with tear gasoline combined with chemical brokers, in Ukraine.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned earlier that the specter of chemical weapons was a part of Russia’s “new stage of terror towards Ukraine.”

“We take this as severely as potential,” Zelensky mentioned throughout his nightly handle.

Zelensky was responding to feedback from the spokesperson of Kremlin-backed separatists in jap Ukraine, who advocated for the usage of “chemical troops” in Mariupol to “smoke these moles out of their holes.”

The Washington Put up has not been capable of independently affirm the usage of chemical weapons in Ukraine. On Monday, the Azov Battalion — a Ukrainian paramilitary unit with a historical past of far-right nationalism — accused Russian troops of utilizing “a toxic substance of unknown origin towards Ukrainian army and civilians” in Mariupol.

The Russian Embassy in Washington didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the allegations.

The British Protection Ministry warned that Russia might use phosphorous munitions in Mariupol, because it has within the Donetsk area. Zelensky has already claimed that Russia used phosphorous bombs towards civilians.

In late March, President Biden mentioned the NATO army alliance “would reply” if Moscow deployed chemical weapons.

“It will set off a response in variety,” Biden mentioned, with out describing the potential responses.

David L. Stern contributed to this report.