Ukrainian Battalion Accuses Russia of Using Chemical Weapons on Civilians

[TheProle]

Source: Newsweek

A Ukrainian battalion said Monday that Russia has used chemical weapons against Ukraine's military and citizens, causing victims to develop respiratory failure and other illnesses.

The Azoz Regiment, a unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, said the chemicals were of an "unknown origin" and dropped via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on civilians in the southeastern city of Mariupol.

"About an hour ago, Russian occupation forces used a poisonous substance of unknown origin against Ukrainian military and civilians in the city of Mariupol, which was dropped from an enemy UAV," the Azoz Regiment posted on Telegram on Monday. "The victims have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome. The consequences of using an unknown substance are being clarified."

NATO has warned that the use of chemical weapons could prompt further action from the West. Late last month, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that using chemical weapons is a "blatant violation of international law with far-reaching consequences."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/ukrainian-battalion-accuses-russia-using-chemical-weapons-civilians-1697052

[marie999]

1. If this is true, the "far-reaching consequences" should be NATO troops in Ukraine.

Ukraine, but not crossing the Russian border with troops but only missiles hitting military installations.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

2. Totally agree

Get those russian assholes OUT of Ukraine. Than get russian influence OUT of America. Treat both scenarios as the danger they are.

Putin needs a punch in the face so hard it breaks bones and teeth fly everywhere,curb stomp the pig.

[abqtommy]

3. +100 That works for me! nt

[Calista241]

7. I can see NATO troops and aircraft enforcing a no fly zone in western Ukraine.

Perhaps west of the Dnieper River. Considering Russia hasn’t announced the goals of their invasion, i would bet we could cover the city of Dnipro.

Dnipro is probably the goal of this reduced Russian offensive. It would put all of the Donbas in Russian hands, cripple Ukraine economically, and Putin could convincingly state that he won. It’s over 100ish miles from the current fighting though.

[EndlessWire]

10. I think they should hit their ships

Send missiles into every one of their ships in the Azov and the Black Sea. Wipe out their Navy. Carpet bomb them into oblivion. We probably have enough missiles for that.

[TomSlick]

4. I would think this could be verified.

Send in the appropriate survey teams to collect soil and blood samples for testing.

[Igel]

5. No, really, it coudn't.

It's in Russian-held territory that's still contested by both sides. That territory is nowhere near where Ukr can establish control. It's all Putinland, if not Pushilinland.

Pushilin is the head roster in the DNR.

Nobody's going in there for a while, in other words.

Context: Pushilin said that Russia should send in chem-weapons specialists/brigades. Or at least use them. Why? The "moles" were dug in at Azovstal' and needed to be exterminated. Why waste good Russian lives on killing moles? Exterminate them.

Hours later, the Azov Battalion said that a drone dropped something, it exploded, and those affected suffered "respiratory collapse."

Azov Battalion is the canonical neo-Nazi battalion from 2015 ... now maybe 5% neo-Nazi, maybe less. If the US is 4% neo-Nazi does that make the US entirely neo-Nazi?)

I read this during passing periods at work today, at a high school. But in either Russian or Ukrainian ... don't remember which. Ukrinform is your friend, but there's a 10-12 hour lag between Slavic and Germanic.

1, The claim is properly posed to take advantage of Pushilin's stupid request. That makes it suspicious.

2. That said, that claim is irrelevant to reality: Did Russia use chemical weapons?

Cf. Syria.

[Warpy]

6. ABsolutely, trust but verify

Tissue samples from the dead would be good, too. Most of that Russian shit leaves large fingerprints.

It might be enough, if confirmed, to suspend Russia from the UN Security Council, at which point maybe something would get done.

I will not be surprised if this is true. Chlorine was the Butcher of Aleppo's favorite thing to use on civilians and he's in charge now.

[ripcord]

8. If this is true I wonder how NATO will react to the use of WMD n/t

[PurgedVoter]

9. New Title: Russia Using Chemical Weapons on Civilians

Look at the news. When a Republican or Putin is involved we hear the terms, "accused of," or "alleged." When guilt is proven, half the time the headline changes them into a liberal or Democrat. When a democrat is pointed at and there is no freaking evidence at all, the headline goes right to the punch and says they did it. As in her email or his laptop. They get to say it over and over in every form possible.

So as far as I am concerned, if Ukraine says Putin and his army are doing war crimes, I am not going to roll my eyes and say, "Well some folk might disagree."

If someone says that Putin is is pulling flying monkeys out of his butt, I will take that as a metaphor and still agree until proof shows the argument behind the statement is wrong.

[nwliberalkiwi]

11. AZOZ

Azoz are Neo-Nazi, beware of this story.

[haele]

12. Azov is the regional name for the battalion. There is no unit of Azoz fighters.

On edit - The Azov battalion is/was a fully staffed military unit consisting of a mix of local militias and foreign fighters armed under the auspice of the overall Ukrainian defence ministry.

If Azoz members are fighting in Ukrainian uniform, they are integrated into other units, not let to form their own battalion, as they liked to call themselves.
From reports I've heard, the Azoz Neo-Nazi members only account for approximately 1-2% of current Ukrainian forces, primarily as irregulars within other battalions.
They were never that large to begin with, just isolated, loud and nasty, like local militias are around here.
From what I've heard, they've also been losing "membership" since they've had to integrate with other Ukrainians and actually interact with the groups they claimed to despise against a common enemy.

Haele