EU foreign policy chief: Russia using chemical weapons to break Ukraine’s resistance

Russia is increasing the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine in a brutal effort to force Kyiv into surrender, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, warning of mounting violations of international law.

“It shows that Russia wants to cause as much pain and suffering so that Ukraine would surrender. And, you know, it’s really … unbearable,” Kallas told Politico.

Despite signing the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993 and declaring the destruction of its stockpiles in 2017, Russia continues to employ banned substances on the battlefield, including in Ukraine.

According to German and Dutch intelligence, Russian forces have used chemical agents on Ukrainian territory at least 9,000 times since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Kallas called the growing use of chemical weapons a “great concern,” saying it reflects a deliberate strategy by Moscow to terrorize and demoralize the population.

On July 8, Ukrainian intelligence released intercepted communications that revealed Russian forces were preparing a chemical attack on Ukrainian positions, further underscoring the Kremlin’s escalating disregard for international norms.