Nato fears Russian chemical attack in Ukraine

By: 3 years ago

Fear of chemical attack by Russia to Ukraine

Military Personnel Wearing Anti-gas Mask | 黑料社 stock photo

BRUSSELS 鈥� Nato is worried Russia is gearing up to carry out a chemical attack in Ukraine, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday, ahead of a meeting of the alliance鈥檚 defense ministers.

鈥淲e are concerned that Moscow could stage a false flag operation possibly including chemical weapons,鈥� the Nato chief told reporters, citing 鈥渁bsurd claims鈥� from Russia that Ukraine possesses biological weapons labs.

Nato, he said, remains 鈥渧ery vigilant鈥� on that risk and stressed that Russia would have 鈥渁 high price to pay鈥� if it carried out such a 鈥渧iolation of international law鈥�.

He refused to 鈥渟peculate about any any military response from the Nato side鈥� if such a chemical attack happened.

Wednesday鈥檚 meeting, Stoltenberg said, would cover 鈥渃oncrete measures to reinforce our security for the longer term in all domains鈥� to adapt to the changed threat environment arising from Russia鈥檚鈥渟enseless war鈥�.

鈥淭his could include substantially more forces in the eastern part of the alliance at higher readiness and with more pre-positioned equipments,鈥� on top of the bolstered Nato forces already sent to Nato countries bordering Ukraine, he said.

A long-scheduled Nato summit in Madrid in June would look at longer-term changes for the alliance.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to distinguish greatly about the immediate response 鈥� all the tens of thousands more troops, air power and naval power 鈥� and then the more long-term adjustment or posture,鈥� to be discussed in June, he said.

Asked about rumors of a possible Nato summit in Brussels next week with leaders including US President Joe Biden, Stoltenberg demurred.

鈥淲e are able to convene a Nato summit with Nato leaders on short notice but I cannot go into more details about that now,鈥� he said.

Presidents and prime ministers of the European Union 鈥� which accounts for most NATO members 鈥� are already to gather in Brussels next Thursday and Friday for a summit focused on Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine.