Is Mariupol under Russian control? Does Russia use chemical weapons?

Mariupol, a port city of around 400,000 people, is a crucial strategic target for Russia since capturing it would allow Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine to join forces with troops in Crimea, Russia’s southern peninsula acquired in 2014.

Russia has not commented on the increased bombardment, but its defence ministry has stated that civilians have not used the escape routes from Mariupol and Volnovakha, accusing Ukrainian authorities of stopping people from fleeing, according to Russian official media.

Is Mariupol under Russian control?

Mariupol is said to be besieged by Russian forces. According to The New York Times, a brutal fight for control of the city of Mykolaiv took place in the south on Monday.

Does Russia use chemical weapons?

Despite being a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, Russia has continued to possess and use chemical weapons on occasion. Russia revealed a chemical weapons arsenal of 39,967 tons in 1997, which it tried to reduce in part. Its arsenal was declared destroyed in 2017.