Ukraine Ticker. Nehammer sobered up after Putin meeting +++ London examines reports on the use of poison gas in Mariupol.

According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine lacks the heavy weapons to liberate the city of Mariupol, which has almost been taken by Russian forces. “If we had airplanes and enough heavy armored vehicles and the necessary artillery, we could do it,” he said in a video address late Monday evening. He is sure that Ukraine will eventually get the weapons it needs. “But not only time is lost, but also the lives of Ukrainians.” Those who did not deliver the weapons now were responsible for this.

A woman in devastated Mariupol with two suitcases containing all her belongings. (April 8, 2022).

Picture:
Keystone/AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov

The situation in the city of Mariupol, which has been fought over for weeks and has been almost completely destroyed, has deteriorated for the Ukrainian side. Western military experts are observing Russian troops gaining ground in urban warfare. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zalushnyi confirmed on Monday that the connection to the Mariupol defenders had not been severed. He was responding to allegations by the marines deployed there that there had been no contact with the Ukrainian military leadership for two weeks.

The Azov regiment, also fighting in Mariupol, announced on Monday evening that Russian forces had dropped an unknown chemical substance on the city. There was initially no confirmation of this from other Ukrainian military sources. Former Azov commander Andry Biletsky reported on Telegram about three people with symptoms of poisoning.

Western countries have warned Moscow of serious consequences if it uses chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in the war that began nearly seven weeks ago. After the reports from Mariupol, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss wrote on Twitter that they were working with partners to verify details. Any use of such weapons would be an escalation for which Russian President Vladimir Putin and his leadership would be held accountable.

Reports that Russian forces may have used chemical agents in an attack on the people of Mariupol. We are working urgently with partners to verify details.

Any use of such weapons would be a callous escalation in this conflict and we will hold Putin and his regime to account.

— Liz Truss (@trussliz) April 11, 2022

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said there was no confirmation of the use of chemical weapons. If the reports are correct, that would be very worrying. It is consistent with fears that Russia may use chemical means, such as tear gas mixed with other chemicals, to suppress large crowds in Ukraine, said spokesman John Kirby.