Myth 3: “Ukraine will use chemical, nuclear and other prohibited weapons against civilians in Donbas."

Ukraine has never produced, stockpiled or used chemical weapons. The US is also a signatory of the Chemical Weapons Convention and does not use chemical weapons.

The pro-Kremlin media have also accused the Ukrainian military of using white phosphorus ammunitions, banned under the Geneva Convention, while Telegram channels, affiliated with the Russian secret services, have spread rumours about homemade radioactive bombs. Pro-Kremlin media have recently claimed that Ukraine was developing nuclear weapons (a plutonium-based “dirty bomb”) in Chernobyl, but no source or evidence was provided. Such false narratives are promoted to evoke fear and act as emotion-triggers, denigrating the Ukrainian armed forces while justifying Russia’s attack on the Chernobyl nuclear plant and Ukraine in general.

The pro-Kremlin media has a long history of distorting facts about chemical weapons, including denial of chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian regime. The pro-Kremlin media has also been instrumental in obfuscating the facts about Russia actually using chemical weapons in the assassination attempt of Alexei Navalny and in the Salisbury poisoning.

EEAS, "Disinformation About Russia's invasion of Ukraine - Debunking Seven Myths spread by Russia", Brussels: March 18, 2022.