Putin Defends War, Ukraine Investigates Reports of Chemical Weapons

Putin Defends War, Ukraine Investigates Reports of Chemical Weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday defended the war in Ukraine as a "noble" mission, following claims of rape¹ and violence against civilians³ and possible use of chemical weapons.

At a ceremony marking the 61st anniversary of the Soviet⁴ Union putting the first man into space, Putin said of the invasion, "Its goals are absolutely clear and noble." He added, "We didn't have a choice. It was the right decision."

The Russian president repeated his claim that the aim was to protect people in areas of eastern Ukraine and to protect Russia's own security.

Since Putin sent Russian troops to Ukraine on February 24, about a quarter of Ukraine's 44 million population has been forced from their homes. Cities have been destroyed by airstrikes. And thousands of Ukrainians have been killed or injured.

Possible use of phosphorous

In the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the city's leader told the Associated Press that more than 10,000 civilians may have been killed in the war.

As the city prepares for another offensive, Ukraine and Western officials are investigating a claim that a poisonous substance was dropped on fighters defending the city. The fighters belong to the Azov Regiment⁵, a far-right group that is now part of the Ukrainian military.

Pavlo Kyrylenko is governor of the eastern Donetsk area. He told CNN: "We know that last night around midnight a drone dropped some so-far unknown explosive device, and the people that were in and around the Mariupol metal plant, there were three people, they began to feel unwell."

Ukrainian Deputy Defense⁶ Minister Hanna Malyar said it was possible that "phosphorous munitions⁷" had been used in Mariupol. She added, "official information will come later."

Earlier on Monday, Donetsk separatist leader Eduard Basurin spoke⁸ on Russian state television. He said the group "will use chemical troops" against Ukrainian soldiers at a large steel factory in Mariupol "to smoke them out of there." He then told Russia's Interfax news agency Tuesday that the separatist forces "haven't used any chemical weapons in Mariupol."

Russia's defense ministry⁹ has not answered requests for comment. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said her country was "working urgently" to investigate the report. And U.S. defense department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the U.S. could not confirm the drone report out of Mariupol.

The use, production and storage of chemical weapons are banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. Phosphorous is not considered a chemical weapon under the convention. The substance, however, can cause severe burning. Its use is banned in civilian² areas.

Accusation¹⁰ of war crimes, rape

After failing to capture the capital city of Kyiv, Russia pulled back its forces from surrounding areas and centered its efforts in the east.

The withdrawal¹¹ of Russian forces from towns around Kyiv brought more charges of war crimes, including murder and rape.

United Nations official Sima Bahous told the U.N. Security Council on Monday: "We are increasingly hearing of rape and sexual violence." Kateryna Cherepakha, president of rights group La Strada-Ukraine, told the council: "Violence and rape is used now as a weapon of war by Russian invaders¹² in Ukraine."

Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador denied the accusations¹³. And the defense ministry said Ukraine's government was being directed by the United States to present false evidence of Russian violence against civilians.

In Bucha, outside of Kyiv, the Associated Press reported that Russian troops had used a children's camp as an execution ground during the month-long occupation. Near the front of the camp, Russian soldiers placed a toy tank. It looked to be connected to a fishing wire. The tank set-up may have been meant to kill or injure anyone who touched it.

Words in This Story

noble - adj. showing or having quality that others admire

drone - n. a small aircraft that flies without a pilot

execution - n. the act of killing someone

1 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

5 regiment   

n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制

参考例句：

• As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
• They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

11 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

12 invaders   

入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。
• The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。

13 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。