Ukraine accuses Russia of using phosphorus bombs to kill civilians
Categories: FOREIGN COUNTRIES
The white phosphorus bombs were deployed in the eastern Luhansk Oblast region where an overnight shelling by the Russian forces killed four people, the Kyiv Independent reported.According to the local governor Serhiy Haidai, the Russian forces attacked several towns in Luhansk Oblast using missiles and phosphorus bombs."The Russians are struggling. They can't advance. That's why they have started to use heavy weapons," the governor was quoted as saying. This is not the first time that they have deployed phosphorus bombs in Ukraine. Earlier this month, a cop in Donbas region had accused Putin's forces of using phosphorus munition to attack civilians.White phosphorus is a substance used by militaries around the world in smoke, illumination and incendiary munitions, and is typically the burning element in tracer ammunition.It burns brightly when exposed to air and produces a large amount of smoke, meaning it can be used to mark targets at night by lighting up an area on the battlefield or to create smokescreens during the day which It is used mainly in the military, and other applications may include as a component in fertilisers, food additives and cleaning compounds. Initially, it was also used in pesticides and fireworks, but many countries have banned its use in several sectors.The 1977 Geneva Convention restrict the deployment of white phosphorous bombs if they endanger civilians.