'Insufficient' claim of chemical weapons use in Ukraine

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has said that information it received on alleged chemical weapons use in Ukraine is "insufficiently substantiated".

The OPCW also said it has not yet received an official request to investigate any claims, after the United States accused Russia last week of using the toxic agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops.

"Both the Russian Federation and Ukraine have accused one another and reported allegations of use of chemical weapons to the Organisation," the OPCW said in a statement.

"The information provided to the Organisation so far by both sides, together with the information available to the Secretariat, is insufficiently substantiated.

The OPCW nevertheless described the situation as "volatile" and "extremely concerning regarding the possible re-emergence of use of toxic chemicals as weapons," the statement added.