A provocation with chemical weapons by Russia's special services is now in progress, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate has said.
"In order to disrupt the counter-offensive actions of the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine, the Russian occupiers began to implement a provocation with the use of chemical weapons in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhya Region on 27 May 2023," the intelligence said.
It noted that the Russian provocation targets its own troops because Russia plans to use traces of chemical weapons on their bodies as fake evidence to accuse Ukraine.
The Main Intelligence Directorate pointed out that the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine use only conventional means in combat with Russian troops, and that the latest staging by the Moscow special services cannot influence the further course of events at the front.
During an assault in Avdiivka a few days ago, Russians used chemical grenades dropped from drones. After almost 10 hours of fighting, they retreated.
Earlier in April, it was reported that Russia had again dropped aerosol grenades on Ukrainian positions. For some time, this aerosol destabilises personnel and they are unable to fight.