Russia accused of using chemical weapons in Ukraine, in breach of global ban

The United States has accused Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops. The US State Department stated that Russia has violated the Chemical Weapons Convention by using the choking agent chloropicrin and tear gas as methods of warfare. The US has imposed more sanctions on Russian individuals and entities in response to these allegations. Chloropicrin, formerly used as a poison gas in World War I, causes harm primarily to the respiratory tract. Russia and Ukraine have both accused each other of using chemical weapons, although they have not provided evidence for these claims. The US criticized Russia’s ongoing disregard for its obligations to the Chemical Weapons Convention.