The charges are serious. Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces on Wednesday fired phosphorus shells at Marinka, a small town in eastern Ukraine with 10,000 inhabitants before the war began on February 24.
“The Russians used phosphorus shells again today in Marinka,” Donetsk region military administration chief Pavel Kyrylenko told Telegram. “A dozen fires (caused by these shells) were located and brought under control by National Emergency Service personnel,” he continued.
Russia claims to respect international law
Phosphorus weapons are incendiary weapons whose use is prohibited against civilians, but not against military targets, under a Convention signed in 1980 in Geneva.
Russia denied on March 25 any violation of international law after being repeatedly accused by Ukraine of having used such ammunition in the context of its offensive.