Russia Claims Of US and Ukraine Threatening Chemical Attack Disinformation
By Donald Standeford, Correspondent - Follow -
Date Published: December 22, 2021 01:30PM UTC
Last Modified: December 22, 2021 01:30PM UTC
WASHINGTON - The U.S. State Department has accused Russia of spreading 'dangerous misinformation' for claiming that U.S. Mercenaries are preparing to use chemical weapons in the eastern Ukrainian conflict zone in Donbas.
The leader of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic which is backed by Russia told the Govorit Moskva radio station that Ukraine and the United States are making threats of a 'man-made humanitarian disaster' according to Russian Tass news agency.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue their military build up next to the line of contact," Pushilin told Govorit Moskva. "Ukraine is persistently demonstrating its reluctance to engage in a dialogue with us" Pushilin said.
"The analysis of the situation along the line of contact demonstrates that the adversary is getting ready for new provocations" he added.
"We call upon guarantor nations of the Minsk Agreements, and international organizations working to promote reconciliation in Donbas, to prevent the use of chemical weapons against civilians"
"Ukraine is attempting to stage a man-made humanitarian disaster on our soil, which may trigger unpredictable consequences for the entire world".
Pushilin stated that Ukraine "is prepared to sacrifice the lives not only of residents of the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, but also of its own citizens, living in Kyiv-controlled areas".
Pushilin's statements were derived from statements by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, where he said that 120 American mercenaries have allegedly been training Ukrainian troops had arrived in Donbas close to the conflict zone.
"Tanks with unidentified chemical components have been delivered to the cities of Avdiivka and Krasny Lyman for the completion of the provocations" Shoigu stated without giving any evidence supporting his claims.
In response to these claims, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price put out a few tweets saying "Contrary to statements from the Russian Defense Minister, Russia and its proxies are responsible for escalating tensions, not Ukraine or the United States".
"We call on Russia to stop using false, inflammatory rhetoric and take meaningful steps to de-escalate tensions to provide a positive atmosphere for discussions" he added in a second tweet.
Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby also addressed the accusations at a press conference on Tuesday saying "Those statements by Minister Shoigu are completely false".
