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There were as of yet unconfirmed reports of Russia using chemical weapons in Ukraine recently. I heard these allegations earlier this morning while watching ABC News early in the morning at work. However, experts are skeptical about these reports. It would be a major escalation, and American President Joe Biden said that there would be an American response if Russia used either chemical or biological weapons. The unconfirmed reports of chemical weapons use by Russia put the White House in a difficult position, and they scrambled to try and juggle the situation, while being careful not to treat it as confirmed reports.
Nevertheless, Biden stepped up the rhetoric against Russia. Today, he referred to the Russian war effort in Ukraine as a "genocide." He elaborated, suggesting:
“It’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is trying to wipe out the idea of being Ukrainian,” Biden said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there are tens of thousands of dead from the Russian siege at Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine. Putin and Russian officials have continually denied this, and have maintained that they are trying to defend and liberate Russians in Ukraine, particularly in the Donbas region. Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to President Zelensky, was cynical regarding Putin's claims, and he took to Twitter in response:
"Russia claimed their goal in is to 'protect people in Donbas.' Right now mobile crematoria are burning people’s bodies in #Mariupol, the second largest city of the region. Those who survived are dying from starvation. What are you 'protecting' them from? From life?"
On his side, Putin stated that peace talks are dead. He went on to suggest that the Russian military would remain in Ukraine until their military objectives are met.
Putin apparently has some plans to try and exact a measure of revenge against the United States, who he continues to view as the number one threat to Russia. According to these reports, Putin plans on supporting Donald Trump’s candidacy for the 2024 election. There may be actions before then taken by Russia in these same reports, which will be designed to foster dissent and division inside of the United States. One of the possible options, according to this article, is to invite former President Trump to Mariupol, which has been completely leveled by the Russian military for weeks now.
Did Russia really use chemical weapons in Ukraine? Experts are sceptical by Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor, Tue 12 Apr 2022:
Analysis: Little evidence thus far that civilians in Mariupol had fallen ill because of chemical attack
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/12/did-russia-really-use-chemical-weapons-mariupol-ukraine-expert-remain-sceptical
Both the Biden quote and the one from the Zelensky spokesman used above came from this USA Today article from earlier today:
Biden says Russia is committing 'genocide'; Putin says peace talks at 'dead end': Live Ukraine updates Jorge L. Ortiz John Bacon Tom Vanden Brook Ella Lee Celina Tebor, USA TODAY, April 12, 2022:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/12/ukraine-russia-invasion-live-updates/7284726001/
Russia Airs Its Ultimate ‘Revenge Plan’ for America by Julia Davis, April 12, 2022:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-airs-its-ultimate-revenge-plan-for-america/ar-AAW5HB1?li=BBnbfcL
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