The Russian Defense Ministry cited data that showed that the Ukrainian armed forces were using phosphorus-containing ammunition during the hostilities in southeast Ukraine, Major General Viktor Poznikhir of the Main Operative Directorate of the Russian Army General Staff said on July 25.
“Today we have credible proof that it was phosphorous-containing
ammunition that were used in Ukrainian cities and populated areas. This
claim is based on characteristic signs,” the general said on the Rossiya
24 television channel.
The General Staff representative cited instances of use of this sort of ammunition.
In particular, such instances include: the June 12 artillery shelling
by the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the city of Slovyansk with phosphorous
ammunition; the June 21 use by aircraft of phosphorous and cluster
ammunition in an attack on the village of Semenivka in the eastern
suburb of Slovyansk; the June 29 artillery shelling with phosphorous
ammunition of the village of Semenivka; the July 7 artillery shelling
with phosphorous ammunition of the city of Lysychansk; and July 23 use
by the Ukrainian army aircraft of phosphorous bombs against the city of
Donetsk.
Phosphorous-containing ammunition has a number of features which make
it distinct in use: “high falling speed, unlike luminescent ammunition;
dispersal of blazing elements over a large area, resembling in shape a
whirl of sparkle; causing big fires on impact sites; and a high
combustion temperature,” the general said.
The Russian General Staff urged Ukraine “to stop using the ammunition banned by international conventions.”
“Given the consequences the use of such weapon leads to in east
Ukraine, we are appealing to international organizations, including
medical ones: no need to keep mum on these facts,” Poznikhir said.
