- US fears Putin may use Novichok chemical weapons in mass attacks if his forces continue to lose ground in Ukraine.
- Officials worry Russia could escalate with nuclear strikes or dirty bombs, but might use chemical attacks first.
- Six sources say Putin is willing to launch mass-casualty chemical attacks before resorting to a nuclear confrontation with NATO.
- Biden administration is coordinating with Western allies to prepare defenses and responses for potential chemical attacks in Ukraine.
- Novichok previously poisoned Navalny and Skripal; it can be aerosolized or delivered by munitions to cause mass casualties.
According to a media reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin may resort to using Novichok in mass chemical weapon attacks in Ukraine if his troops continue to lose ground.
As the war progresses in Kiev’s favour, fears that Russia will resort to extreme measures to force Ukraine to surrender, such as launching a nuclear strike or a dirty bomb attack, have grown, Daily Mail reported.
According to report, six people familiar with the situation say, Putin is willing to use chemical weapons in a mass-casualty event before resorting to a nuclear confrontation with NATO.
According to Politico, President Joe Biden’s administration is working to ensure that its western allies are ready for such an attack.
Washington believes Russia will use chemical weapons if Putin’s army suffers further losses on the battlefield, report says.
Top US officials planning such an attack believe Moscow could use chemical weapons, including those used in the poisonings of opposition leader Alexei Navalny (on a flight to Moscow) and former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal (in Salisbury, Britain), according to the Daily Mail.
Both were in critical condition after being poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. Despite all odds, they both survived the attack.
While Russia has previously used the nerve agent to target individuals, US officials have stated that it can also be used to carry out a mass-casualty event.
Some chemicals can be turned into an aerosol or delivered using munitions to cause massive damage to a large area and a large number of people.
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