A senior Russian defense ministry official said on Tuesday that the United States is planning a provocation in Ukraine using toxic chemicals.
Source. CNBC
Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kirillov said that the comments of the former US Ambassador to Russia, now the US National Security Advisor John Sullivan on February 22 were the basis for Russia's suspicions.
"On February 22, an influential American non-governmental organization held a conference on the events in Ukraine. During the event, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan made a statement in which he said that Russian troops allegedly planned to use chemical weapons in the area of a special military operation," Kirillov said.
"We regard this information as the intention of the United States and its allies to organize a provocation in Ukraine with the use of pesticides," he added.
Kirillov added that Moscow believes that preparations for a provocation are underway, claiming that pesticides and protective equipment were delivered to Ukraine at the same time. According to him, if such a provocation takes place, Russia "will identify the real culprits and punish them."
This is not the first time that Russia has falsely accused the West of planning a provocation, which, according to it, can then be blamed on Moscow.