'These reports, if true, are deeply concerning,' Defense Department Press Secretary John Kirby said.
A destroyed armored vehicle during ongoing conflicts in the city of Mariupol, Ukraine under the control of the Russian military and pro-Russian separatists on April 9, 2022. Photo: Leon Klein/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The Pentagon is closely monitoring social media reports claiming Russian forces deployed chemical weapons in Mariupol, Ukraine, Defense Department Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement on Monday.
"These reports, if true, are deeply concerning and reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine.
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