Russia accuses US of planning 'toxic chemicals' provocation in Ukraine

US and Russia locked horns on Tuesday as another controversy erupted, with Moscow accusing Washington of planning a 'toxic chemicals provocation' in Ukraine.

A shipment of chemical substances arrived in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine on 10 February which was accompanied by a group of foreign citizens, claimed Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Forces (NBCP).

Kirillov also slammed former US envoy to Russia John Sullivan for his remarks where he had accused Russian troops of planning "to use chemical weapons" in Ukraine war. 

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"We warn that in case of provocations using toxic chemicals, the true culprits will be identified and punished. We will continue to work to expose the criminal activities of the West in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention," Kirillov stressed.

Speaking at a news briefing, Kirillov detailed about the shipments carrying toxic chemicals. He said that the shipment had 16 sealed metal containers and added that eight of them had a chemical hazard sign, the inscription BZ and two red lines, on them. The signs reportedly indicated a class of chemical weapon agents under the international signal system. 

He went on to say that five other boxes had CS-Riot and three CR-Riot inscriptions which were marked with a single red line. As per international classification, a single red line mark indicates presence of tear gas or lachrymatory agent in the shipments. 

Kirillov claimed that the contentious shipment was placed on US-made armoured vehicles and another shipment arrived in Kramatorsk on 19 February. 

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The other shipment, he claimed, delivered shrapnel with a special labeling on it warning it had substances like liquid irritants in it. 

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"The facts of the simultaneous supply of toxic chemicals and means of protection against them indicate an attempt to carry out large-scale provocations using the combat psychotropic toxic substance BZ during the conflict," Kirillov added.

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