UK sanctions Russia over use of ‘inhumane’ chemical weapons in Ukraine, UK, Russia, Ukraine, sanctions, chemical weapons, international law, Putin

The British government imposed the sanctions on Tuesday.

The sanctions include the Russian Armed Forces’ Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces (CBR) and their leader Igor Kirillov, responsible for helping deploy the “barbaric weapons.”

Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Kirillov has also been a key mouthpiece for the Kremlin’s disinformation, spreading lies to mask Russia’s shameful and dangerous behavior.

“The UK will not stand idly by while (Russian President) Putin and his mafia state flout international law, including the Chemical Weapons Convention. I have made it my personal mission to challenge this malicious activity and I will not back down,” said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

“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 activities. Let me be clear; Putin and those who carry out his actions have nowhere left to hide. “We will continue to use sanctions to directly address and counter the Kremlin’s attempts to sow fear, division and disorder,” he said.

The FCDO said Russian forces have openly admitted to using dangerous chemical weapons on the battlefield, with widespread use of riot control agents and multiple reports of the use of the toxic asphyxiant chloropicrin – first deployed on the battlefields of World War I . Britain also accused agents of “Putin’s mafia state” of being responsible for deploying the deadly nerve agent Novichok on the streets of Salisbury, England in 2018, and against opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020.

“Our message to Putin and his regime is clear: you cannot violate international law without facing the consequences. We will not allow such blatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the rules-based international order to go unpunished,” said British Defense Secretary John Healey.

“The UK is taking tough action against those responsible for these horrific chemical attacks in Ukraine. Our support to Ukraine is rock solid and will last as long as necessary,” he said.

Two Russian Defense Ministry laboratories were also sanctioned by Britain this week for supporting the development and deployment of inhumane weapons for use on the front lines.

The FCDO reiterated Britain’s commitment to provide £3 billion in military aid to Ukraine annually, “for as long as necessary”.

“The UK’s military, financial, diplomatic and political support for Ukraine is rock solid. We cannot and will not allow aggressors like Putin to succeed,” it added.

The sanctions come as Britain delivered a statement to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) outlining the country’s commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the OPCW of those who take action to undermine the Treaty. The latest batch of Russian targets have been designated under the UK Chemical Weapons (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. PTI