James Heappey commented on Sky Bur Kay – as Secretary of State Liz Truss said the UK was “working urgently” to verify reports that Russia had used chemical agents in the besieged city of Mariupol. Ms Truss said any confirmed use of such weapons in Mariupol would be a “weak escalation” of the war. Mr Heappey told Sky News that the reports had not been verified, but warned that Britain and its allies would respond to any chemical weapons development by Russia. “Let’s be clear, if they are used at all, then President Putin should know that all possible options are on the table as to how the West could respond,” he said. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:08 “All options on the table” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his nightly speech via video to warn Russia that it could develop illegal chemical weapons, but did not say it had already done so. “We are taking it very seriously,” he said. “I would like to remind world leaders that the possible use of chemical weapons by the Russian military has already been discussed. “And already at that time it meant that it was necessary to react to Russian aggression much harder and faster.” Picture: The situation in Ukraine on April 11 – day 47 of the war Key developments: • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for more weapons from the West, especially in defense of Mariupol. • Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and warned that an attack on eastern Ukraine for rape, executions and other war crimes are still coming to light in areas around Kyiv, from which the Russians withdrew in recent weeks. Russia says challenges to Ukraine and the West • Reuters data show that while many Western countries have tightened sanctions on Russia, India – lured by huge rebates – has bought more Russian crude oil since the invasion. than for the whole of last year • Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would not stop fighting for any new round of peace talks. Talks last held on April 1 • The UK Department of Defense said Russian bombing continued in Donbas, but Ukrainian forces repulsed several attacks and destroyed Russian military vehicles and equipment. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 “About” chemical attack reports Britain and its NATO allies have repeatedly warned that any move by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops to develop chemical weapons would change the nature of the conflict. The United States has said it will respond if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine. The nature of the response will depend on the nature of the use. Ms. Trouse, late Monday night, chose to point to unconfirmed reports on social media from Ukraine about the possible use of a chemical agent against the port of Mariupol, on the southeast coast of the country. “We are working urgently with partners to verify details,” he said on Twitter. “Any use of such weapons would be a harsh escalation in this conflict and we will hold Putin and his regime accountable.” Mr Heappey said on Tuesday that neither the UK nor the Ukrainian government had yet verified the reports. However, he described the chemical weapons as “disgusting”. “The fact that it is part of the debate is deeply disappointing,” he said. Asked how the UK and other allies would react to crossing such a red line, he said it was important to “maintain some ambiguity”. This means that the response may vary depending on the severity of the use. Picture: The situation in Mariupol on April 11 – day 47 of the war The concern seems to have been sparked by an unconfirmed claim by a Ukrainian battalion fighting to defend Mariupol from a Russian attack that a Russian drone had used a poisonous substance against the city. However, there was no independent verification of the claim. Mariupol is already the scene of horrific suffering after weeks of conventional Russian bombing. The city’s mayor said on Monday that 10,000 civilians had been killed and that the death toll could rise to more than 20,000, with the bodies “stuck in the streets”. Petro Andriushenko, the mayor’s aide, said reports of a chemical attack had not been confirmed and that he was expected to provide details later. Follow the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the United States was aware of the reports. “We can not confirm at this time and we will continue to monitor the situation closely,” Kirby said. “These reports, if true, are deeply troubling and reflect the concerns we have had about Russia’s ability to use a variety of disruptive agents, including tear gas canisters, in Ukraine.” The United Kingdom and its allies have expressed concern that Russia could try to use chemical weapons in a “fake flag” operation that Moscow has wrongly accused the Ukrainian side of and then used as a further excuse for its war against it. Of Ukraine.
