Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday in a speech to Estonia’s parliament that Russia was using phosphorus bombs in Ukraine, accusing Moscow of using terrorist tactics against civilians.
He provided no evidence and Reuters was unable to independently verify the claim.
“In Ukrainian cities, which fell under Russian attacks, tens of thousands of people have already died. In civilian areas, Russia uses all sorts of artillery, missiles, aerial bombs, including phosphorus bombs and other munitions banned by international law.”
“This is obviously terrorism against civilians, it is an attempt to break people’s spirits, to dominate Ukrainians for decades or just to destroy them,” he said.
The production, use and stockpiling of chemical weapons has been prohibited since 1997 under the Chemical Weapons Convention. Despite being condemned by human rights groups, however, white phosphorus munitions are not banned.
Russia denies using chemical weapons in Ukraine and says it destroyed all of its stockpile in 2017.
In his speech, Zelensky added that instruments had to be found to pressure Russia to stop forcibly deporting Ukrainians. He called for sanctions on Russia to continue, saying they were the only way to force the country to agree to peace.
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are going to Kiev to meet Zelensky on Wednesday, an adviser to the Polish president said.
The four join other European leaders visiting the Ukrainian capital after Russian forces moved away from the country’s north earlier this month.
Source: CNN Brasil
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