Troops are said to have dizziness, breathing problems and other symptoms of the ‘unknown substance’, which is thought to have spread through a drone.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned in his daily video address late Monday that Russian troops could use chemical weapons in Ukraine, but did not confirm that they had already been used.
But unverified reports suggest an “unknown substance” was used in the besieged southern port city, which is expected to fall into Russian hands immediately.
Ukrainian media cited the far-right Azov regiment, saying that Russia had used a ‘toxic substance against Ukrainian troops in Mariupol’.
Nexta TV tweeted: ‘The Azov Regiment reported this about an hour ago #Russian troops used a toxic substance of unknown origin against Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in the city of #Mariupol.
‘The victims suffered from respiratory failure and vestibulo-attack syndrome.’
It comes to the The UK Department of Defense said it was worried Putin could use banned white phosphorus munitions in a renewed pressure to take Mariupol, where the mayor fears 10,000 citizens are already dead.
The intelligence assessment published on Monday said: ‘Russian forces’ prior use of phosphorus union in Donetsk Oblast increases the possibility of their future employment in Mariupol as fighting for the city intensifies.’
More: Russia-Ukraine war
De USA issued a similar warning last monththat is reflected by other states.
The Kremlin has dismissed the statement as a “distraction tactic”. Russia has also long been accused of using chemical weapons in Syria and is suspected of poisoning a number of dissidents, including in the United Kingdom.
It is unclear how the West will react to the latest accusation of an atrocity in Ukraine – but the use of chemical weapons was widely seen as a possible red line.
Russia has consistently denied virtually all allegations of war crimes and other atrocities and seems to do so in this case as well.
