The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday accused the U.S. of planning a “provocation” in Ukraine involving toxic chemicals. Igor Kirillov, Head of Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense of the Russian Armed Forces, cited a purported quote from former Russia ambassador John Sullivan saying: “Russian troops plan to use chemical weapons in the special military operation area.” “We regard this information as the intention of the United States and their accomplices to carry out a provocation in Ukraine using toxic chemicals,” Kirillov said, adding that Russia “will identify and punish the true culprits.” Kirillov appeared to be referring to comments made by Sullivan at a Wilson Center discussion last Wednesday about Ukraine, in which Wilson said “it wouldn’t surprise” him if Russia “used chemical weapons in a limited setting” similar to how Bashar al-Assad used such weapons in Syria. “My prediction would be—just as they’ve done with Syria—they would try to do it in a way that they would blame the Ukrainians,” Sullivan added.