US 'not in position' to confirm if Russia used chemical weapons in Mariupol, says Blinken

As the Russian invasion has continued for six weeks now, US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Tuesday stated that Washington cannot confirm if Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine's strategic port city of Mariupol, beleaguered by invading troops. Referring to the recent allegations levelled by Ukraine against Moscow, Blinken stated that Washington is "not in a position to confirm" the claims but is working to determine "what actually happened."

However, Blinken added that US intelligence has gathered "credible information" over the Russian military possibly engaging in the "use of variety substances" in a bid to curb uprisings against the occupiers.

Russian forces could have used tear gas mixed with chemicals to "disrupt" Ukrainian fighters and civilians in Mariupol, the US State Secretary, Blinken, said.

"We are in direct conversation with partners to try and determine what actually happened," he added.

US monitoring reports of possible Russian chemical weapons attack

The members of the US Congress on Tuesday informed that the Biden administration and its allies will not stand by if Russia used chemical weapons on Ukraine. Lawmakers monitoring the developments during their trip to Poland flagged that Washington is probing into the reports of a "poisonous substance" that had been dropped in Mariupol. Nevertheless, the investigators cautioned that determining the type of attack on the besieged city could take time. "We're taking those reports seriously and I know the United States government and others are trying to determine if that did indeed occur," said Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.

Meanwhile, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Tuesday informed that Washington has provided equipment to Ukraine in a video to "protect themselves from the potential use of chemical weapons." He added that the US is also set to help Ukraine with the probe into the alleged use of chemical agents. "We have been in direct conversations with our Ukrainian partners as they are collecting facts and evidence. We do stand ready to assist in case we can be useful in terms of that investigation, whether it is any sort of technical capability or anything else,” he told CNN.

Biden accuses Russia of committing 'genocide' in Ukraine

As the US is mulling over an investigation into the alleged chemical weapon use by Russia, American President Joe Biden on Tuesday claimed that the Russian war in Ukraine has "amounted to genocide." He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "trying to wipe out the idea" of being a Ukrainian citizen. "It is a genocide," Biden told reporters in Iowa. His remarks come after Ukraine launched a probe into the "poisonous substance" dropped by Russia in Ukraine's Mariupol.

An advisor to Mariupol mayor, Petro Andriushchenko took to Telegram to warn about a possible yet unconfirmed "chemical attack." In a late-night address on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the occupiers issued a new statement that indicated preparations for a "new stage of terror" against Ukraine and the defenders. "We take this as seriously as possible," the embattled President said.

(Image: AP)