Russia accuses Ukraine of 'chemical terrorism', claiming poisoning of its military in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Russian soldiers who were performing tasks in Zaporizhzhia Oblast were taken to a military infirmary with signs of poisoning, the Kremlin media writes.

The agency reports that on July 31, Russian servicemen who were performing tasks near ​​Vasylivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast were admitted to a military hospital with signs of severe poisoning. As a result of the examination, a poisonous substance — botulinum toxin type B was allegedly found in the body of the servicemen.

Moscow accuses the Ukrainian side of "chemical terrorism" and is going to send documents with analyzes of poisoned victims to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

An additional investigation is also being conducted into the poisoning by "combat poisons" of the protege of the Russian Federation in the Kherson Oblast and collaborator Volodymyr Saldo.

What happened to Saldo?

On August 5, collaborator Volodymyr Saldo, the "leader" of the occupied territory of Kherson Oblast appointed by the occupation authorities, was transported to Moscow due to poor health. Saldo was taken to the Sklifosovsky Institute in Moscow, which deals with the problems of emergency medical care, including acute poisoning.

The occupation authorities did not report what exactly happened to Saldo. The Kremlin publication RIA Novosti wrote that Saldo was allegedly hospitalized "due to deterioration of well-being, possibly due to complications after the coronavirus infection." According to the same media, doctors spoke of "positive dynamics" in Saldo's condition before he had to be taken to Moscow.

However, other Russian mass media wrote that Saldo could have been poisoned. He was put into a medically induced coma, and his condition was assessed as "very serious".

Another Russian collaborator, Kyrylo Stremousov, denied these reports and maintained that "Volodymyr Saldo's illness is the result of physical and mental overstrain" that he suffered over the past six months.