Foreign Minister Liz Tras and Armed Forces Secretary James Heppe said the United Kingdom was working with allies to verify reports that Russian forces may have used chemical agents in an attack on Mariupol. Mr Heappey said any use of chemical weapons “would be answered” – and suggested that some countries might choose to act outside NATO. “There are some things that are beyond the pale,” he said. The Defense Secretary told Sky News that if chemical weapons were used “then President Putin should know that all possible options are on the table as to how the West could respond.” Asked what the options would be, Mr Heappey said “ambiguity” was important – but added that any response “would certainly be effective, but it would also be well considered”. Questioned on BBC Radio 4 today if an answer could involve NATO’s immediate involvement, Mr Heappey said: “All options are on the table. It’s important that there is some ambiguity.” He added: “It is not up to any government minister from any individual country to commit to NATO membership. “It is quite possible that a response to the use of chemical weapons would occur outside of NATO.” The Azov regiment in Mariupol said the soldiers were stunned and could not breathe after a “poisonous substance of unknown origin” fell on them from a Russian drone, according to the Daily Mail. It came hours after the mayor of Mariupol said more than 10,000 civilians had been killed in the Russian siege of his city and that the death toll could rise to more than 20,000. Mr Truss said: “Any use of such weapons would be a tough escalation in this conflict and we will hold Putin and his regime accountable,” but made it clear that the United Kingdom was still trying to verify the allegations. “The Ukrainian system, as you saw from President Zelensky, refers only to the fact that there are reports, they have not yet been able to confirm that they were used,” Mr Heappey told Sky News. Ukrainian troops will arrive in the UK “in the coming days” for training in the use of armored vehicles, the Minister of the Armed Forces confirmed. “There are 120 armored vehicles in the process of being prepared,” Mr Heappey told LBC Radio. “And the Ukrainian troops that will handle them will arrive in the UK in the next few days to learn how to drive and steer these vehicles.” Britain is increasingly worried that Russia could use white phosphorus ammunition to bomb the city. White phosphorus is used for lighting at night or to create a smoke screen, but when used as a weapon it causes horrible burns. Western officials believe Russia wants to bring down Mariupol to free troops for the battle of Donbass but also to create a route north for Kremlin forces as they try to form a tweezers movement for Ukrainian defenders in the east. The Russian bombing of Mariupol has caused terror to its population (REUTERS) Officials said Putin would double or possibly triple the number of Russian troops in Donbas as the Russian president resorted to a “reduced” invasion strategy. The troop build-up, however, will not necessarily give Moscow an advantage over Ukraine, as Kiev forces have been successful in repelling insurgents in the east of the country, they said. Meanwhile, late Monday, Ukraine’s parliament said Russian forces had fired on nitric acid tanks in Donetsk, urging residents of the eastern city to prepare “protective face masks soaked in soda solution.” The Foreign Ministry said it was “shocked” by reports of mass graves found in the village of Buzova outside Kyiv. Local officials said corpses showing “evidence of execution” were discovered after the Russian withdrawal. Buzova is close to Bucha, another city where atrocities were discovered – although Russia has claimed that scenes from the aftermath of its occupation were staged. The United Kingdom will work with allies to “investigate war crimes and ensure justice,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.
