Ukraine Invasion: NATO activates chemical and nuclear defense elements | Ukraine latest

NATO chiof Jens Stoltenberg said the Western military
alliance wgs concened Russia may be preparing a
pretext to use chemical weapons. "We see the rhetoric
and we see that Russia is trying to create some kind
of pretext accusing Ukraine, the United States and
NATO allies of preparing to use chemical and
biological weapons" he told reporters after a NATO
summit in Brussels. "Our top military commander..
has activated NATO's chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear defense elements and allies
are deploying additional chemical and biological and
nuclear defenses," he said. He reiterated the
significant impact any use of chemical weapons
would have on the course of events, not just in
Ukraine, but also in neighboring countries. He also
stressed the continuity of NATO's Open Door policy,
which has been one of Moscow's main complaints
and justifications for its invasion of Ukraine. Asked
whether NATO would provide Ukraine with the list of
weaponsand equipment requested by Ukrainian
PresidentVohdymyr Zelenskyy, Stoltenberg said that
alliance members are already supplying weapons and
equipment, but "at the same time, we have a
responsibility to prevent this conflict from becoming a
full-fledged war in Europe"
Stoltenberg said that the alliance will increase its
support for Ukraine as well as its deployments in
Eastern Europe during a press conference that camne
after an emergency session of NATO member-state
leaders. Stoltenberg's comments coincided with the
release ofa statement from the alliance as well as the
announcement that he will stay on for an extra year
due to the invasion, delaying his plan to step down
from the position.
NATO members are "equipping Ukraine with
significant military supplies including anti-tank and air
defense systems and drones, which are proving highly
effective, as well as substantial financial andhumanitarian aid," Stoltenberg said. "Today we agreed
to do (more, including cyber security assistance and
equipmenito help Ukraine protect against biological,
chemical, radiological and nuclear threats," he added.
The NATO chief warned against escalating the war
and pledged more support for other countries facing
threats from Russia, namely Georgia and Bosnia.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry released a statement
on Thursday claiming that Russian forces have
"forcibly deported about 6,000 Mariupol residents to
Russian filtration camps." It said that Russia is also
trying to do the sameo the 15,000 residents in the
Left Bank region of the city "The Russian occupiers
are forcing them to move
confiscate people's passports and other idetity
documents," the statement said, adding that it was "in
order to use them as hostages and put more political
pressure on Ukraine." The statement also accused
Russian forces of firing on columns of civilians fleeing
from the city that was the subject of intense
bombardment by the Russian military and a siege that
left thousands of people without access to food,
water and power for days.
speaking to representatives of the alliance over
video-link. "To save people and our cities, Ukraine
needs military assistance without restrictions. In the
same way that Russia is using its full arsenal without
restrictions against us," he said. He thanked the
members of the alliance for the support they have
already provided, but said it was not enough. "You can
give us one percent of all your planes. One percent of
your tanks./One percent!" During the call, Zelenskyy
also accused Piissia of using phosphorus weapons-
which ignite in contact with air and can burn for a long
time as well as causing severe burns on people it
comes into contact with. "This morning, by the way,
phosphorus bombs were used. Russian phosphorus
bombs. Adults were killed again and children were
killed again"' Zelensky said. "The Alliance can once
more prevent the death of Ukrainians from Russian
strikes, from Russian occupation, by giving us all the
weapons we need."