News Analysis India

Tag: America on Russia Ukraine War

  • US Accuses Russia Of Violating International Chemical Weapons Ban In Ukraine | world news

    The United States on Wednesday claimed that Russia is violating the international chemical weapons ban. The US accused Russia of using, chloropicrin, a choking agent on Ukrainian military and using riot control agents “as a method of warfare” in Ukraine.

    “The use of such chemicals is not an isolated incident and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield,” reported Reuters quoting the US State Department statement. Russia has violated the Chemical Weapons Convention’s (CWC) ban on employing riot control agents as a means of warfare, according to the statement.

    As per Reuters, the Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment, regarding these allegations.

    What is Chloropicrin?

    Last used during World War I, Chloropicrin has been designated as a prohibited choking agent by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), headquartered in The Hague. This organization was established to enforce and oversee adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) of 1993. During World War I, German forces deployed this gas against Allied troops, marking one of the earliest instances of chemical warfare.

    While civilians typically can evade riot control gases during protests, soldiers confined to trenches without protective masks must either retreat amid enemy gunfire or face the possibility of suffocation.

    Use Of Chemical Weapons

    As per a report by Reuters published earlier this month, The Ukrainian military claimed that Russia has intensified its offensive by increasing its illegal use of riot control agents while advancing in eastern Ukraine.

    Besides chloropicrin, Russian troops are reported to have employed grenades containing CS and CN gases. The Ukrainian military claims that over 500 of its soldiers have required treatment due to exposure to these toxic substances, with one casualty reportedly resulting from suffocation due to tear gas.

    Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)

    The CWC prohibits making and using chemical weapons. It also tells all 193 countries that signed it, including Russia and the US, to get rid of any banned chemicals they have.

    The State Department was supposed to tell the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), its determination that Russia broke the CWC.

    Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for breaking the rules in meetings at the OPCW. But the OPCW says it hasn’t been asked to start looking into the use of banned stuff in Ukraine.

  • Inside The US Plan To Counter Russia's Nuclear Warfare In Ukraine | world news

    On February 24, 2022, the world witnessed the commencement of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Fast forward two years, and there is still no resolution in sight for the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Since the beginning of the war there was a widespread anticipation that Russia would swiftly overcome Ukrainian defenses and seize control of the capital, Kyiv.

    The ongoing warfare has uprooted millions of Ukrainians, reshaped the geopolitical dynamics of Europe, and inflicted substantial global economic repercussions. Supply chains have been disrupted, contributing to inflation.

    The war has entered its third year, and the momentum today rests with Russia. There is no indication of emergence of peace talks anytime soon, both the country's peace plans are currently in contradictory stage. Amid the sustained unrest, CNN reported that as per two senior administration officials, the US began 'preparing rigorously' for the possibility of Russia launching a nuclear strike on Ukraine.

    As per reports the Biden administration harbored specific concerns regarding the potential deployment of a tactical or battlefield nuclear weapon by Russia amid the ongoing conflict. They were ready to deploy every tactic in the book to avoid the possibility of a nuclear conflict.

    US's Cue For Fear Of Nuclear Attack

    1. Russian forces faced a devastating period in late summer 2022 as Ukrainian forces advanced on Russian-occupied Kherson. The potential for a catastrophic loss and the surrounding of Russian units were perceived as triggers for the use of nuclear weapons by Russia.

    2. Between late summer and fall of 2022, the National Security Council held a sequence of meetings to develop contingency plans in case of a clear sign or an actual occurrence of a nuclear attack by Russia. The unforeseen necessity for these preparations took numerous officials by surprise.

    3. Simultaneously, Russia's propaganda machine circulated a false flag story about a Ukrainian dirty bomb, raising fears that it could serve as a cover for a Russian nuclear attack. US officials dismissed the warnings but remained concerned about Russia's motivations.

    4. Intelligence agencies received information about communications among Russian officials explicitly discussing a nuclear strike. The risk level was deemed to be escalating, prompting urgent outreach and high-level discussions between US and Russian officials.

    Plan To Avoid The Contingency

    The United States actively reached out to its allies and sought assistance from non-allied nations, such as China and India, to dissuade Russia from initiating a nuclear attack. The participation of influential global entities was deemed crucial in preventing a crisis.

    Despite a reduction in the immediate threat as the conflict reached a relative stalemate, officials from the US and its allies maintain a state of heightened vigilance. Ongoing refinement of plans acknowledges the potential escalation of nuclear threats in the coming months.