Julian Wucherpfennig on the possible use of chemical weapons by Russian forces

In an interview with FOCUS Online, Julian Wucherpfennig, Professor of International Affairs and Security at the Hertie School, explains why the unconfirmed reports that Russian troops have engaged in chemical warfare could be plausible.

First, poison has proven to be a tried and tested weapon for Putin, as demonstrated by the attacks on former agent Sergei Skripal in 2018 and on former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020. According to Wucherpfennig, “This shows that Putin's inhibition threshold is very low.”

Second, Putin is under increasing pressure to make gains which have so far failed to materialise in Ukraine. Therefore, Putin endeavours to demoralise the civilian population in Ukraine in order to break the will of further resistance, as was done by the Assad regime in Syria. 

Third, Wucherpfennig notes that while all Western countries agree that using chemical weapons would cross a ‘red line’, Putin may recall their muted response to Assad’s use of chemical weapons in Syria. Therefore, he may deploy the audacious use of poisonous gas to emphasise Ukraine’s isolated position since “it is still difficult to imagine NATO entering the conflict directly.”

However, Wucherpfennig cautions that the use of chemical weapons does not fit Putin’s narrative that Russia seeks to ‘liberate’ and ‘denazify’ Ukraine since poisonous gas primarily affects civilians. Therefore, the results of an independent investigation and verified reports from the civilians should wait to be seen since “there is too little evidence so far to be sure that chemical weapons are in use”.

Read the full article (in German) here.

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Views expressed by the author/interviewee may not necessarily reflect the views and values of the Hertie School.