BAD SIGN

Russia Accuses U.S. of Plotting a Toxic Chemical ‘Provocation’ in Ukraine

Moscow’s defense ministry says it will “identify and punish the true culprits” of such an attack.

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.