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Is Putin using chemical weapons? USA warn allies and name a scenario

2022-11-26T05:44:56.860Z


Is Putin using chemical weapons? USA warn allies and name a scenario Created: 11/26/2022, 06:40 am By: Marcus Giebel In the Ukraine war there have been warnings of a nuclear strike by Russia for months. The US is also looking at the possible use of chemical weapons by Vladimir Putin. Munich – The Ukraine war has recently slipped more and more from Vladimir Putin. Even the partial mobilization


Is Putin using chemical weapons?

USA warn allies and name a scenario

Created: 11/26/2022, 06:40 am

By: Marcus Giebel

In the Ukraine war there have been warnings of a nuclear strike by Russia for months.

The US is also looking at the possible use of chemical weapons by Vladimir Putin.

Munich – The Ukraine war has recently slipped more and more from Vladimir Putin.

Even the partial mobilization a few weeks ago seems to only allow the Russian President to limit the damage in his planned campaign of conquest.

Little by little, the invaders are being pushed back towards their own national borders, and the Ukrainians are taking back strategically important cities like Cherson.

But not only battered boxers are dangerous.

This also applies to ailing autocrats when they seem to have nothing left to lose and their life's work threatens to be nothing but a shambles.

And so the anxious question continues as to what Putin will allow himself to do in the face of his personal disgrace.

Ukraine war: US government sees fundamental danger of use of chemical weapons

In any case, those around US President Joe Biden are said to fear that the Kremlin boss could resort to chemical weapons before he uses nuclear weapons and escalates with NATO.

This is a scenario should his troops continue to lose ground in Ukraine.

The US newspaper

Politico

reports , citing six people who are familiar with the matter.

Accordingly, the US government would call on allies to prepare for such a possibility.

It is recommended, for example, to invest in new detection systems for the use of chemical weapons.

There is no evidence of a timely attack with such weapons.

However, it is expected that the war will continue for a long time.

Because in the winter months the front will be more or less frozen, and none of the warring parties will be able to record large land gains.

The Ukrainians are struggling on the east side of the Dnieper, where Russian forces have been reinforced.

Fortunately, only one exercise: In 2019, cadets from the Ukrainian University for Disaster Management practiced the emergency use of chemical weapons.

© IMAGO / Ukrinform

Russia and chemical weapons: reference to Navalny poisoning and war in Syria

If, contrary to expectations, the Kremlin troops have to retreat further or the army even collapses, Moscow could authorize chemical weapons for use.

Novichok is mentioned, for example – the toxin was found in the bodies of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and ex-secret agent Sergei Skripal in the past.

Both are said to have become victims of the Putin camp, but survived the poisoning.

In addition, Russia is associated with the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian war.

Moscow is said to have at least helped Bashar al-Assad's government to cover up the use of toxins against its own people.

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An attack on a crowd of people is also possible this time.

The article lists options such as turning the chemicals into an aerosol or using them in ammunition.

In this way, the substances could easily be concealed, which would make it difficult to prove that Russia had used them.

Weapons of mass destruction in the Ukraine war?

The USA have apparently taken precautions in Eastern Europe

The United States has long known that Russia is expanding its stock of chemical weapons.

As a precaution, the Pentagon dispatched teams to Eastern European countries this fall to update local forces on chemical and biological threats.

Kyiv has also been equipped with chemical, biological and nuclear protective equipment.

It also said senior officials are pushing for an overhaul of the US approach to preparing for and responding to potential chemical weapons attacks, not just by Russia.

The government is planning higher investments in new early detection systems and wearable technologies such as masks.

More precise overviews of the stocks of other countries should also be made possible.

How far will he go?

Vladimir Putin is also believed to be capable of using chemical weapons in the Ukraine war.

© IMAGO / Sipa USA

Ukraine war and chemical weapons: Traditional methods of persecution no longer up to date

However, one problem with tracking such weapons of mass destruction is that their substances can be easily concealed and processed in legitimate industries.

Gregory Koblentz refers to this in the article.

The director of the Biodefense Graduate Program at George Masin University explains: "Our traditional methods, which we're really good at, like satellite imagery and signal intelligence, aren't really useful for figuring out what's going on in these biological facilities." Intelligence, and that's hard to come by."

After all: A few weeks ago, the danger of using chemical weapons was apparently rated higher than it is currently.

Not only did the USA prick up their ears when Russia accused Ukraine of preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory and then blaming Moscow for it.

Thereupon – so the fear goes – the Kremlin would have responded with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

Chemical weapons used in the Ukraine war?

Not likely, according to official sources

In the meantime, however, the threat of dirty bombs has "gone down a bit," writes

Politico

, citing a senior Defense Department official.

US officials had therefore made many phone calls with their Ukrainian and Russian interlocutors.

Officials meanwhile consider neither a nuclear nor a chemical attack to be likely.

But the US has been warned.

And rely on other states being prepared for the worst case scenario.

If Putin is suddenly so desperate that he doesn't care.

(mg)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-11-26

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