The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is concerned that Russia may use chemical weapons in a ‘false flag’ attack in Ukraine, the body’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.
“We are concerned Moscow could stage a false flag operation in Ukraine, possibly with chemical weapons,” Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of the Western military alliance, said at a press conference.
A false flag operation refers to an act committed with the intent of disguising the actual perpetrator and pinning the blame on the other party.
FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
#WATCH | We are concerned that Moscow could stage a false flag operation possibly including chemical weapons, in Ukraine. Any support to Russia, be it military or any other support will help it conduct brutal war against #Ukraine: NATO Secy-Gen Jens Stoltenberg
(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/ASIv8To2ak
– ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2022
ON CHINA
After reports suggested that Russia had asked China for military aid in its fight against Ukraine, Nato chief Stoltenberg added in his address on Tuesday that China has an obligation as a member of the United Nations Security Council to uphold international law.
“Any support to Russia military or any other type will help Russia conduct a brutal war against an independent sovereign nation, Ukraine. It will help them to continue to wage a war which is causing death, suffering and an enormous amount of destruction. So, China has an obligation as a member of the United Nations Security Council to support and uphold international law,” Jens Stoltenberg said.
Jens Stoltenberg also said that Russia’s claims that the US is funding “military biological activities” in Ukraine are “absurd” and “just another lie”.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR | LATEST
1. With the war entering its 20th day, Russia stepped up its bombardment of Kyiv on Tuesday. Meanwhile, peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations resumed for the second day.
2. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was prepared to accept security guarantees that stop short of its long-term objective of joining the Nato.
4. The number of Ukrainians fleeing the war approached 3 million on Tuesday, according to data from the UN refugee agency.
(With inputs from Reuters)