Russia Has No Chemical Weapons, They Have Been Disposed of — Federation Council Speaker

According to Valentina Matviyenko, Russia completed total disposal of chemical weapons in 2017

Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. Russia disposed of all stockpile of chemical weapons; all allegations about a chemical weapon attack in Ukraine being prepared by Russia are a lie, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko told reporters Wednesday.

"Today, there are attempt to smear the Russian army, smear Russia, imitate this kind of allegedly Russian activities with alleged use of chemical weapons. This all is, of course, a lie. Russia has no chemical weapons, Russia fulfilled all its obligations; in 2017, we completed total disposal of chemical weapons, unlike the US, who still have not disposed of their stockpile of chemical weapons," Matviyenko said.

According to the speaker, Ukrainian authorities are complicit in the spread of this disinformation in this case.

Earlier, Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev opined that confident discussion of the US and the UK regarding the chemical attacks in Ukraine allegedly being prepared by Russia are worrying, adding that the shocking video footage of poisoning could have already been filmed.

On Tuesday, US Department of State spokesman Ned Price said at a press briefing that the US are concerned that Russia might want to use chemical weapons during the special military operation in Ukraine. In particular, he claimed that Russia may use a number of riot control substances, including tear gas mixed with poisonous substances.

Previously, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov stated that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), with support from Western states, is preparing a provocation in Ukraine with use of poisonous substances against civilians, in order to accuse Russia. He underscored that Russian forces involved in the special military operation do not have and cannot have chemical munitions.