NATO suspects Russia's use of chemical weapons

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, responding to allegations that the United States sponsored biological laboratories in Ukraine, has said that Russia may be the one planning chemical attacks.

Stoltenberg told German newspaper Welt that the accusations are false and stressed that the alliance must be vigilant, since Russia itself may be planning operations with chemical weapons. He added that this would be a war crime.

Earlier in March, the Russian Defense Ministry unveiled new findings after analyzing documents obtained from experts from Ukrainian biolaboratories. According to the information, the United States spent over $200 million to study pathogens of birds, bats and reptiles in Ukraine and possibility of transmission of African swine fever and anthrax through these animal.

Igor Kirillov, the chief of the Russian armed forces radiation, chemical, and biological defense, said that Pentagon created a network of over 30 biological laboratories on the Ukrainian territory. According to Kirillov, the United States removed all materials necessary for further research from Ukraine after the beginning of the Russia's special military operation. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow may launch a consultation mechanism under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) to discuss Washington's non-compliance with the document.