The Armed Forces of Ukraine say they attacked Russian positions near the city of Soledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic using munitions that are banned under international treaties. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Andrey Marochko of the LPR People’s Militia provided the assessment that a blast in a Soledar residential area released a sharp smoke that damaged the skin, and inhalation led to fainting among those nearby. The claim has been presented as evidence of chemical agent exposure during the engagement. (attribution: TASS)
Russian specialists from the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops are reportedly working to determine the exact substance involved at the moment of impact. The investigation is described as ongoing, with preliminary observations pointing to a chemical component consistent with toxic industrial or battlefield agents. (attribution: TASS)
The LPR representative also noted that, since the start of the year, several reports of chemical weapons use have been attributed to Ukrainian forces. The claim covers incidents in the Zaporizhzhia direction in April, in Artemovsk and Donetsk in early March, and is presented as a pattern rather than isolated events. (attribution: TASS)
In May, Dmitry Rogozin, head of the scientific and technical center “Tsarskie Wolves” and the former head of Roscosmos, stated that Ukrainian units again used chemical weapons during bombardment of Russian positions in the Zaporizhzhia direction. The remarks were raised in the context of continuing battlefield allegations and are part of a broader narrative about the use of prohibited munitions in recent hostilities. (attribution: TASS)