UK imposes sanctions on Russian chemical warfare commander

Britain imposed sanctions on Russia’s chemical warfare unit and its commander for allegedly using First World War-era choking gas in Ukraine, The Telegraph reports.

These moves follow reports from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces about the significant increase in the use of chemical weapons by Russian forces in Ukraine. About 4,035 incidents involving special ammunition containing dangerous chemical substances have been recorded between 15 February 2023 and 24 August 2024.

The imposed sanctions by Britain come as part of the UK’s efforts to combat what it sees as Russia’s violation of international laws regarding chemical weapons use.

“Russia’s cruel and inhumane tactics on the battlefield are abhorrent, and I will use the full arsenal of powers at my disposal to combat Russia’s malign activity,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.

The sanctions target Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, who has led Russia’s radiological chemical and biological defence unit since 2017. The Foreign Office described Kirillov as “a significant Kremlin mouthpiece” used to spread disinformation about chemical weapons.

The Telegraph reports that the US previously accused Russia of using chloropicrin, a substance banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, to dislodge Ukrainian soldiers from fortified positions.

Chloropicrin, known for causing irritation and inducing vomiting, was widely used in World War I trenches.

John Foreman, a former British defence attaché in Moscow, criticized Kirillov, calling him “one of the most ludicrous members of the Russian general staff whose every utterance over the last three years has been false.”

The article notes that Kirillov has made counter-accusations, claiming Ukraine has used chemical weapons against Russian forces. He also alleged the discovery of a “toxic substances” laboratory near the captured Ukrainian town of Avdiivka.

Kirillov has been involved in developing Russia’s TOS-2 heavy flamethrower system, which uses thermobaric rockets to destroy fortified positions. The system reportedly has a range of about 12 miles and has been deployed in Ukraine.

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