UK sanctions Russian troops for using chemical weapons on battlefield in Ukraine

The UK government on October 8 introduced sanctions against Russia's Radiological Chemical and Biological Defense (CBR) troops and their commander.

The UK government said this in a press release, Ukrinform reports.

"The UK will not sit idly by whilst Putin and his mafia state ride roughshod over international law, including the Chemical Weapons Convention. I have made it my personal mission to challenge this malign activity, and I will not back down. 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. Let me be clear; Putin and those who carry out his will have nowhere left to hide. We will continue to use sanctions to directly target and counter the Kremlin’s attempts to sow fear, division and disorder," UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.

Defense Secretary John Healey added that Britain's message to Putin and his regime is clear: "You cannot break international law without facing the consequences."

"We will not allow such blatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and rules-based international order to go unpunished. The UK is cracking down on those responsible for these horrific chemical attacks in Ukraine. Our support for Ukraine is ironclad and will continue for as long as it takes," he said.

According to the press release, Russian forces have openly admitted to using hazardous chemical weapons on the battlefield, with widespread use of riot control agents and multiple reports of the use of the toxic choking agent chloropicrin – first deployed on the battlefields of World War I.

Among those sanctioned today are the Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops of the Russian Armed Forces and its leader Igor Kirillov, responsible for helping deploy these barbaric weapons. Kirillov has also been a significant mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation, spreading lies to mask Russia’s shameful and dangerous behavior.