. >> reporter: he helped establish the opcw, the chemical weapons watchdog. he says russia has supported regimes that have attacked civilians with chemical weapons in places like syria. he says it's highly unlikely that russia will uimately use the weapons in ukraine. but he thinks a group backed by the military could be used as cover. >> translator: i think it could be used by an independent group in the eastern part of the country. backed by the russian military. i think there is a possibility from a military point of view that materials like industrial toxic gases could be used to attack firmly-protected underground facilities or similar places. >> reporter: russian leaders are promised to scale back their offensive around the capital. but many say the risks have not changed. earlier this month, the u.s. and united nations warned russia against using chemical weapons. he says this kind of exposure could prevent an attack. >> translator: leaking information can provide a deterrent and can be a warning that they are being watched carefully. i think it's impo

the opcw, along with 46 other parties of _ few days ago and the opcw, along with 46 other parties ofing lies to cause confusion. sowing fear and more importantly covering _ sowing fear and more importantly covering up — sowing fear and more importantly covering up its _ sowing fear and more importantly covering up its own _ sowing fear and more importantlyj covering up its own responsibility. let us _ covering up its own responsibility. let us remember— covering up its own responsibility. let us remember the _ covering up its own responsibility. let us remember the facts. - covering up its own responsibility. let us remember the facts. it- covering up its own responsibility. let us remember the facts. it is. let us remember the facts. it is russia, — let us remember the facts. it is russia, and _ let us remember the facts. it is russia, and not— let us remember the facts. it is russia, and not ukraine, - let us remember the facts. it is russia, and not ukraine, that. russia, and not ukraine, that resorted _ russia, and not ukraine, that resorted to _ russia, and not ukraine, that res

and the opcw have confirmed assad has repeatedly used chemical weapons over the past several years. and we are deeply concerned that russia is calling for this meeting is a potential false flag effort in action, exactly the kind we have been warning about from secretary blinken in the security council last month. russia has a track record of falsely accusing other countries of the very violation that russia itself is perpetrating. and given that inconsistent with their previous statement we have serious concerns that russia may be planning to use chemical or biological agents against the ukrainian people. the attempt -- the intent behind these lies being clear and it is deeply troubling. we believe russia could use chemical or dialogical agents or assassinations as part of a staged or false flag incident or to support tactical military operations. from the beginning our strategy to counter russia's tactics has been to share what we know with the world transparently and candidly we have an right more than we would have liked to. we are not going to let russia get away with lying to t

and the opcw have confirmed that assad has recently used chemical weapons over the past several years. let's not forget why we are really here today. we are here because russia knew of cynical ploy to pass at the scope a toy resolution had failed. this meeting is the result of their isolation on this council and on the world stage. we are not buying what they are selling. literally or figuratively. and i will reiterate the united states deep and serious concern that russia's calling for this meeting is, is a potential false flag effort in action. russia has repeatedly, repeatedly accused other countries of the very violations it plans to perpetrate. we continue to believe it is possible that russia may be planning to use chemical or biological agents against the ukrainian people. we aren't going to dignify russia's disinformation or conspiracy theories, but we will continue to sound the alarms and tell the world where we think rush is heading. and we will remind the world that russia has repeatedly repeatedly lied to this council over recent weeks. despite all the evidence we could se