In the latest news on Ukraine war , Ukraine has directly accused Russia of carrying out an attack on the besieged city of Bakhmut using phosphorus munitions. Drone footage released by Ukraine’s military shows Bakhmut engulfed in flames as what appears to be white phosphorus rains down on the city.
While white phosphorus weapons are not banned, their use in civilian areas is considered a war crime. These munitions create fast-spreading fires that are extremely challenging to extinguish. Russia has faced accusations of using white phosphorus in the past.Now they reportedly used it in Ukraine war
Despite its questionable strategic value, Russia has been attempting to capture Bakhmut for months. Western officials estimate that thousands of Russian troops have lost their lives in the assault.
Ukraine’s defense ministry stated on Twitter that the phosphorus attack targeted “unoccupied areas of Bakhmut with incendiary ammunition.” The country’s special forces command in Kyiv added that Russia’s forces continue to “destroy the city.”
The exact timing of the alleged attack remains unclear. However, the footage shared by Ukraine, seemingly captured by a surveillance drone, shows high-rise buildings engulfed in flames. Additional videos posted on social media depict widespread fires on the ground.
White Phosphorus
Russia has faced multiple accusations of using white phosphorus since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, including during the siege of Mariupol at the conflict’s onset.
White phosphorus is a wax-like substance that ignites upon contact with oxygen, resulting in bright plumes of smoke. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned about the severity of injuries caused by this chemical. It burns at temperatures of 800 degrees Celsius and inflicts extreme burns on human flesh. It is also highly adhesive and difficult to remove, posing the risk of re-ignition when bandages are changed.
Although Russia is a signatory to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, which prohibits the use of incendiary weapons in civilian areas, HRW states that white phosphorus is not covered by the treaty as its primary purpose is to create a smokescreen to conceal military operations.
While white phosphorus has been used repeatedly over the past 15 years, including by US forces against IS fighters in Iraq and Syria, its use as an incendiary weapon near civilians would likely still be deemed illegal. Despite Bakhmut’s pre-war population of 80,000, there are now few civilians left in the area.