Spain: Police Seize Russia-Bound Chemicals

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Facts

• Spanish police said Tuesday that they confiscated 13 tons of banned chemicals bound for Russia, some of which they said may possibly have been intended for usage as chemical weapons.^[1]
• Police further confirmed the arrest of four individuals they say belong to a criminal smuggling network trying to illegally bypass Western sanctions against Russia.^[2]
• The exact type of chemicals, which were found in a container at a Barcelona port, were not disclosed. The smugglers were reportedly linked to a shell company operated by 'citizens of Russian origin.'^[2]
• The police stated that while the main company in charge was based in Moscow, the subsidiaries were located in several countries, including Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, to hide the true destination of the chemical shipments.^[1]
• The EU has imposed sanctions to deter the transfer of dual-purpose goods through Central Asia to Russia, with the US and UK already having accused Moscow of violating international bans on the use of chemical warfare in the Ukraine conflict.^[1][2]

Sources: ^[1]Reuters and ^[2]Espreso.

Narratives

• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Washington Post. It's terrifyingly sad that Russia, which took part in the chemical weapons prohibition treaty over 30 years ago, has decided to reinstitute such atrocious warfare against the Ukrainian people. Moscow is already known to have allegedly used a chemical agent, showing that Putin will violate even his own country's human rights laws to destroy Ukraine.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by RT International. When the West falsely accuses Russia of using chemical weapons, it's not ironic or hypocritical, but rather a distraction from their supply of deadly materials to Ukraine. While Moscow destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile years ago and still adheres to the prohibition treaty, the UK just recently sent Kyiv riot control gases to use against Russian troops, which is prohibited by international law.

Predictions