Telegraph investigation reveals those on front line are being exposed to gases banned during wartime

Telegraph investigation reveals those on front line are being exposed to gases banned during wartime

Russian troops are carrying out a systematic campaign of illegal chemical attacks against Ukrainian soldiers, according to a Telegraph investigation.

The Telegraph spoke to a number of Ukrainian soldiers deployed in positions across the front line who detailed how their positions have been coming under near daily attacks from small drones, mainly dropping tear gas but also other chemicals.

The use of such gas, which is known as CS and commonly used by riot police, is banned during wartime under the Chemical WeaponsConvention.

Ihor, the commander of a Ukrainian reconnaissance team who is deployed near the front line city of Chasiv Yar, in Donetsk Oblast, told The Telegraph: “Nearly every position in our area of the front was getting one or two gas grenades dropped on them a day.”

  • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1238·
    9 months ago

    Tear gas is very tame. This really isn’t the case to make a big deal out of.

    Israel has been tear gassing Gaza and the West bank for years but they also committed a gazillion white phosphorus chemical attacks in Gaza and Lebanon which are far more dangerous chemicals. Didn’t see the Telegraph using “chemical weapon” headlines for that one.

    Questions and Answers on Israel’s Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon

    Human Rights Watch has determined based on verified video and witness accounts that Israeli forces used white phosphorus in military operations in Lebanon and Gaza on October 10 and 11, 2023, respectively. The videos show multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border.

    White phosphorus, which can be used as a smokescreen or a weapon, has the potential to cause civilian harm due to the severe burns it causes and its lingering long-term effects on survivors. Its use in densely populated areas of Gaza violates the requirement under international humanitarian law that parties to the conflict take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injury and loss of life. It also highlights the need to reexamine the status and adequacy of Protocol III of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), currently the only international law dedicated to governing incendiary weapons.

    • Skua@kbin.social
      163·
      9 months ago

      I have a feeling that you would not be commenting “tear gas is very tame” if this article was about Israel using it in Gaza

      • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldEnglish
        620·
        9 months ago

        I have a feeling you’re completely wrong.

        Israel has shot the Al Aqsa mosque with it yesterday which is in the West Bank and thus also not in their own country making it a similar war crime. Except israel has been doing this for years.

        Israeli Forces Fire Tear Gas on Worshipers at Al-Aqsa on Muslim Holy Day

        Using it outside an active war zone on a place of worship and not on soldiers but civilians really gets that israeli war crime multipliers going.

        Classifying tear gas as a “illegal chemical attack” is really taking all meaning out of that term. It’s pure clickbait that makes it seem as if they were using mustard gas or some really deadly chemical.

        White Phosphorus on the other hand, which israel uses in excess in Gaza, is an extremely toxic chemical that will leave life long damage and burns.

        • Skua@kbin.social
          162·
          9 months ago

          You talking about Russia doing it: “Classifying tear gas as a ‘illegal chemical attack’ is really taking all meaning out of that term.”

          You talking about Israel doing it: “making it a similar war crime,” and “…really gets that israeli war crime multipliers going.”

          …yeah I’m gonna stand by what I said

        • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.worldEnglish
          72·
          9 months ago

          Using it outside an active war zone on a place of worship and not on soldiers but civilians really gets that israeli war crime multipliers going.

          Tear Gas is literally legal to use on civilians as an anti-riot tool but not on military personnel. You don’t know what you’re talking about.

          Classifying tear gas as a “illegal chemical attack” is really taking all meaning out of that term. It’s pure clickbait that makes it seem as if they were using mustard gas or some really deadly chemical.

          Take it up with the Geneva Convention, they’re the ones who made it illegal to use in combat, mainly because any chemical gas is bad to use in war, regardless of its lethality.

          White Phosphorus on the other hand, which israel uses in excess in Gaza, is an extremely toxic chemical that will leave life long damage and burns.

          You mean white phosphorus that Russia has also been using? I wouldn’t even really bring this one up though, not only is it a different type of restriction than the chemical weapons ban, it’s also way way way way way more commonly abused because of the “smokescreen exemption”.

          • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
            4·
            9 months ago

            Using phosphorus as a toxic substance is inefficient as fuck. Most of the concerns about white phosphorous use are around use as incendiary ammunitions, which is a no-go anywhere around civilians. Napalm, white phosphorus, heck, Molotov cocktails, doesn’t matter.

          • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldEnglish
            311·
            9 months ago

            You do realize that the west bank is not israeli territory and that Palestinians are not their civilians right?

            • wildbus8979@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              3·
              9 months ago

              You got downvoted, but if Palestinians are constantly held in military prisons and convicted by military court, it goes to reason that they should be considered as combatants for other purposes as well.