17/12/2024 11:26
The Guardian
Igor Kirillov was head of the Russian army’s chemical weapons division. Plus, Mitch McConnell warns Trump against isolationismGood morning.The head of the Russian army’s chemical weapons division, Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, was killed on Tuesday when an explosive device attached to a scooter went off outside an apartment building in Moscow.Britain and the US have accused Russia of using the toxic agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops. Chloropicrin is an oily liquid with a pungent odour known as a choking agent that was used widely during the first world war. Its use is outlawed by the chemical weapons convention.The killing comes as Russia has gained momentum in the war. Russia has made gains in eastern Ukraine as the Kremlin seeks to secure as much territory as possible before Donald Trump returns to the White House.Follow our live coverage here.Syria’s new leadership hopes to signal to the world that the country can return from diplomatic isolation. The UN envoy to Syria visited Damascus on Monday, meeting Sharaa and the interim prime minister. The envoy urged a “credible and inclusive” transition.Assad’s fall leaves western countries with a dilemma. HTS group has its roots in al-Qaida; it maintains it has renounced jihadism, yet it has been accused of human rights abuses and remains proscribed as a terrorist group by the UN. Continue reading...
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