Ukraine pres. Zelenskyy: Russian forces could use chemical weapons

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has crossed the wires recently and said that the Russian forces could use chemical weapons and that they take that threat seriously. He does not say chemical weapons have already been used.

Unconfirmed speculative reporting:

Meanwhile, there are reports that people are suffering from respiratory failure and neurological problems as a result of Russian forces dropping a "poisonous substance of unknown origin" from a drone on military and civilian targets in the besieged port city, Mariupol, according to the city's Azov Battalion. This has been reported in UK media - Express. 

''The Regiment's report states: 'The victims have respiratory failure, vestibulo-atactic syndrome. The consequences of using an unknown substance are being clarified.'''

''Ivanna Klympush, the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Integration of Ukraine to the EU, said that Russia had "most likely" used "chemical weapons" in the attack.''

Downing Street had earlier raised concerns over the possible deployment of chemical weapons in Mariupol to enforce a Russian victory.

“Russian force's prior use of phosphorous munitions in the Donetsk Oblast raises the possibility of their future employment in Mariupol as fighting for the city intensifies,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“Russian shelling has continued in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with Ukrainian forces repulsing several assaults resulting in the destruction of Russian tanks, vehicles, and artillery equipment,” the statement added.

UK Foreign Minister: