Britain's armed forces minister has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that utilizing chemical weapons in Ukraine would threat "a global response."

Because the Russian invasion of Ukraine entered a 3rd week, James Heappey stated that intelligence has revealed that Putin is contemplating deploying chemical weapons within the combat.

"I learn final week, the very high-level intelligence round the potential for chemical weapons getting used, and I do know that they had been studying the identical factor in Washington," Heappey advised the BBC's At present program on Thursday. "While you learn that stuff, you might be totally appalled at the truth that it is even into account."

NATO nations have refused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's repeated requires a no-fly zone over Ukraine, fearing it might threat upsetting a widespread battle with Russia.

Requested if the usage of chemical weapons can be a purple line, Heappey stated: "I do not assume it is useful to get into any agency dedication proper now about the place that purple line sits.

"However I believe President Putin must be very clear that when different nations have used chemical weapons, it has prompted a global response."

Protest against Russian invasion of Ukraine
Tons of of individuals collect in Manhattan's Occasions Sq. in assist of Ukraine and to demand an finish to the Russian invasion of the nation on March 5, 2022 in New York Metropolis.Spencer Platt/Getty Photos

The U.S. was "proper to declassify the intelligence in order that Putin is aware of that we all know that he is obtained this into account," Heappey stated. "And I believe he ought to replicate very urgently on what has occurred to different nations the place they've used this."

It got here after the Biden administration publicly warned on Wednesday that Russia might use chemical or organic weapons in Ukraine.

Russian officers have accused Ukraine of operating organic weapons labs with U.S. assist.

White Home press secretary Jen Psaki referred to as Russia's declare "preposterous" and stated it might be a part of an try by Russia to put the groundwork for its personal use of such weapons towards Ukraine.

"That is all an apparent ploy by Russia to attempt to justify its additional premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified assault on Ukraine," Psaki wrote on Twitter.

"Now that Russia has made these false claims, and China has seemingly endorsed this propaganda, we must always all be looking out for Russia to presumably use chemical or organic weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation utilizing them. It is a clear sample."

Russia's Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated the declare that the U.S. was utilizing Ukrainian territory to develop organic or chemical weapons throughout a press convention in Turkey after the most recent spherical of talks between Ukraine and Russia yielded no breakthrough.

Lavrov stated it was "no shock" that the White Home denied the claims, in keeping with the BBC. The European Union and United Nations discovered no proof as a result of the Individuals did it in "deep secrecy," Lavrov stated.