“We have seen the information in the press about the alleged use of chemical substances by the Russian armed forces in Mariupol, after Ukrainian soldiers showed signs of chemical poisoning. We are closely monitoring the situation,” said Nabila Massrali, spokesperson for the European External Action Service, at the European Commission’s daily press conference.
Massrali recalled that “the use of chemical weapons, including the use of toxic chemicals as a weapon, under any circumstances, violates the chemical weapons conventions, to which Russia is a party.”
“It is also a war crime and represents a serious violation of international humanitarian law that exacerbates the suffering of the civilian population,” he warned, while considering that “it is completely unacceptable and constitutes a threat to the security of all of us.”
According to the spokeswoman, those responsible for the use of chemical weapons “will be held accountable.” “Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the world has been alerted to the illegal use of chemical weapons by Russian security agencies,” she concluded.
Mariúpol, a city located on the shores of the Sea of Azov, has been besieged by Russian troops since the beginning of the invasion, on February 24.
More than 80% of the buildings in the city have been destroyed by the bombings and the residents who remain in it – it is estimated that between 100,000 and 160,000 – do not have water, gas, electricity, or basic necessities.
With information from EFE