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Aujourd’hui — 4 juillet 2025Flux principal
✇Euromaidan Press

Republican Party lawmaker says Ukraine should not count on Biden-era weapons after Kyiv banned church led by Putin’s war priest

Par :Olena Mukhina
4 juillet 2025 à 12:59

Anna Paulina Luna, a US lawmaker from the Republican Party, has connected an arms freeze to Ukraine’s ban on the Moscow-affiliated church.

Kyiv has banned the activities of Moscow Patriarchate churches in 2024 to ban ties with organizations that pose a threat to national security. Head of the church, Patriarch Kirill, is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ally. He blessed Russian soldiers to die in Ukraine, promising them forgiveness of sins. Ukraine found numerous agents in Russian churches, some of whom were also accused of sexual harassment of children. 

This week, the Pentagon halted the delivery of certain air-defense missiles and precision-guided munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns over depleting US stockpiles.

Immediately after the pause and Putin’s phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Russia launched its largest missile attack on Kyiv since the start of the war, and shows no intention of stopping.

In a post on X, Anna Paulina Luna accused President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of banning the Orthodox Church.

Fact check for Tucker Carlson: Russia, not Ukraine, is persecuting Christians

“Zelenskyy BANNED THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. I CAN PROMISE THERE WILL BE NO WEAPONS FUNDING FOR YOU @ZelenskyyUa. NEGOTIATE FOR PEACE. WE ARE NOT YOUR PIGGY BANK,” she wrote on X. 

Meanwhile, an analysis conducted by senior US military officers showed that the weapons package for Ukraine, but halted, did not pose a threat to American military capabilities. Sources say that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has unilaterally blocked arms for Ukraine, which were approved during Joe Biden’s presidency.

No fresh arms sanctions have been endorsed by US President Donald Trump’s administration. At the same time, since Trump’s peace efforts began, the only thing that has changed for Ukraine is the intensification of Russian attacks and an increase in the number of civilian victims. 

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. Become a patron or see other ways to support. 
  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Russia’s chemical weapons use in Ukraine now “large-scale,” intelligence shows
    On 4 July, Dutch and German intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia is using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine on a large scale, with drones dropping choking agents on Ukrainian positions. The revelations, based on joint investigations, show what officials describe as a systematic and intensifying pattern of illegal chemical warfare. Russia has routinely used chemical weapons against Ukrainians for years while employing its typical propaganda strategy of deflection—baselessly accusing
     
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✇Euromaidan Press

Russia’s chemical weapons use in Ukraine now “large-scale,” intelligence shows

Par :Yuri Zoria
4 juillet 2025 à 08:17

russia’s chemical weapons use ukraine now “large-scale” intelligence shows russian grenade containing agent rfe/rl 01000000-0aff-0242-a20d-08db3104052f_w1597_n_r0_s_s 4 dutch german agencies have confirmed russia using banned large scale drones dropping choking agents

On 4 July, Dutch and German intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia is using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine on a large scale, with drones dropping choking agents on Ukrainian positions. The revelations, based on joint investigations, show what officials describe as a systematic and intensifying pattern of illegal chemical warfare.

Russia has routinely used chemical weapons against Ukrainians for years while employing its typical propaganda strategy of deflection—baselessly accusing Ukraine of the very crimes it commits. Moscow has repeatedly denied deploying banned weapons and instead shifted blame onto Kyiv. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova recently claimed that the FSB allegedly discovered a Ukrainian cache of explosives containing chloropicrin in eastern Ukraine.

Intelligence agencies confirm large-scale Russian chemical weapons program

Reuters says Dutch and German officials jointly reported that Russia is operating a coordinated program to produce and deploy banned chemical weapons in Ukraine. The Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) and Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency confirmed gathering evidence of these violations, including Russia’s use of drones to drop choking agents—such as chloropicrin—on Ukrainian trenches to force soldiers into open fire.

According to Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, “we can confirm Russia is intensifying its use of chemical weapons.” He added that this trend is not isolated but part of a normalization of chemical warfare tactics by Russian forces.

Thousands of chemical-related incidents and battlefield injuries

The head of the Dutch MIVD, Peter Reesink, said his agency’s conclusions were based on independent investigations.

Ukraine alleges around 9,000 instances of chemical weapons use. Reesink emphasized the scale by referring to “thousands of instances” observed independently.

At least three Ukrainian deaths have been tied to chemical attacks, according to Brekelmans, and more than 2,500 people have reported symptoms related to chemical exposure on the battlefield, Ukrainian health authorities report.

The United States had first accused Russia of using chloropicrin in May 2024. The compound, originally used by Germany in World War One, is more toxic than riot control agents and is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

According to Reesink, Russia’s chemical weapons use is no longer a matter of improvisation:

“This isn’t just some ad-hoc tinkering at the frontline; it is truly part of a large-scale program.”

Calls for sanctions and exclusion from international bodies

Brekelmans called for increased sanctions and political pressure:

“We must further increase the pressure. This means looking at more sanctions and specifically not allowing them (Russia) to participate in international bodies like the Executive Council of the OPCW.”

The European Commission is considering adding 15 more individuals and entities to its sanctions list for suspected involvement in chemical weapons use in Ukraine. 

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. Become a patron or see other ways to support. 
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