Ukraine war: UK says Russia could be planning chemical or biological attack
- Britain’s Defence Ministry said in a tweet that Russia could use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine in response to a staged fake attack on Russian troops
- The Twitter post said: ‘Such an operation could take the form of a faked attack … or fabricated evidence of alleged Ukrainian planning to use such weapons’
Britain’s Defence Ministry said in a tweet on Monday that Russia could be planning to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine in response to a staged fake attack on Russian troops.
It cited no evidence to support the assertion in what it called an intelligence update. US officials have made similar statements.
The Twitter post said: “Such an operation could take the form of a faked attack, a staged ‘discovery’ of agents or munitions or fabricated evidence of alleged Ukrainian planning to use such weapons.”
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It said the Defence Ministry had seen no evidence to support Russia’s accusations that Ukraine planned to use chemical and biological weapons.
The United Nations on Friday said it had no evidence Ukraine had a biological weapons programme while Washington and its allies accused Russia of spreading the unproven claim as a possible prelude to launching its own biological or chemical attacks.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, US President Joe Biden warned Russia that it would pay a “severe price” if its military should use chemical weapons against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the US and Canada are planning a military exercise in the Arctic amid the conflict with Russia.
Operation Noble Defender is to begin on Wednesday with support from Denmark, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in Washington on Monday.
The aim is for the allies to cooperate in defending the northern approaches to North America. The regular air defence operation is about warding off possible dangers from Alaska to Greenland.
For Washington, the Arctic is of great strategic importance, with the US government observing Russia’s military activities there very closely.
