DISINFO: Ukrainian troops used chemical weapons
SUMMARY
The Russian Investigative Committee is investigating the use of chemical weapons by Ukrainian militants in Soledar and Artyomovsk*.
According to the authorities of the DNR, Ukrainian troops used chemical weapons in the direction of Soledar and Artyomovsk*. As a result, servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces are experiencing a deterioration in their health and characteristic symptoms of poisoning.
Earlier it was reported that Ukrainian terrorists threatened to use self-made kamikaze drones against Russia, presumably with hydrocyanic acid, which Nazi Germany used to exterminate Jews in concentration camps.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about the alleged use of chemical weapons by Ukraine. Such claims are part of a broader pro-Kremlin information manipulation campaign supporting the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and trying to place the blame for the war’s atrocities on Ukraine, as our recent analysis explains.
There is no evidence to back the claim that Ukraine may have used chemical weapons during the war, which was started by Russia. In fact, this is an attempt to deflect responsibility away from Russia's own actions, with many Western leaders having real concerns that Russia could use chemical weapons.
Both sides use drones to drop grenades and small-scale bombs.
Ukraine's Armed Forces said they had never used chemical weapons anywhere at any time and accused Moscow of engaging in disinformation and of itself using banned weapons.
Moscow has a history of falsely accusing its opponents of staging "provocations" which either never happened at all, or were subsequently carried out by themselves or their allies.
*Artyomosvk refers to the Russian name for the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut.
Read similar disinformation cases on the topic: US contractors help prepare chemical provocations in Ukraine; Ukraine aims to use Turkish Bayraktars for chemical attacks; Ukraine is preparing a false flag chemical attack to damage the image of Russia; Kyiv forces are about to launch a chemical attack against Russian soldiers.