Vladimir Putin: Russia Has Destroyed Its Last Chemical Weapons

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, announced on Wednesday, October 5, that Russia has destroyed its last chemical weapons. He described this action as a 'historic event' and criticized the United States for its delay in destroying its chemical weapons. According to AFP, Mr. Putin stated in a televised speech: 'Today, the last portion of Russia's chemical arsenal will be destroyed.' 'Considering that the vast chemical arsenal inherited from the Soviet era was, according to experts, sufficient to destroy all living beings, this is truly a historic event. It is an important step towards the security and balance of the modern world.' The Russian President used this occasion to blame the United States, claiming that the country is not fully complying with its international obligations. Russian news agencies quoted Mr. Putin as saying: 'Unfortunately, the U.S. has not adhered to the established timeline for destroying chemical weapons. They have delayed the timeline for destroying these weapons three times.' Mr. Putin remarked that the U.S. government claims it has delayed the destruction of chemical weapons due to insufficient funding, which he found 'a bit strange.' He added: 'We expect the U.S. government to fulfill its international obligations like other countries.' The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons praised the Russian government's action to destroy the remaining parts of its chemical arsenal. Ahmet Üzümcü, the head of this organization, stated: 'The completion of inspections and verification of the destruction of Russia's chemical arsenal is an important step in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.' He also appreciated the 'special attention and professional approach' of Russian officials, adding that inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons 'have confirmed the destruction of Russia's chemical arsenal.' According to this Nobel Peace Prize-winning international organization, the destruction of the remaining Russian chemical arsenal took place at specialized destruction facilities in the Udmurt Republic. AFP adds that between 2005 and 2015, six specialized chemical weapons destruction centers in Russia completed their work and were closed. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons stated in its Wednesday announcement that now 96% of the world's known chemical arsenals have been destroyed. The Soviet Union and the U.S. produced and stockpiled a large amount of chemical weapons during the Cold War, but in 1997, after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention, they agreed to destroy all their chemical arsenals by April 2012. However, both countries later announced that they needed more time, and the U.S. government has stated that it will complete the destruction of its chemical arsenal by 2023.