Russia’s Tear Gas Bombings In Ukraine May Be a First Step In Dangerous Chemical Escalation

So why is Russia using tear gas in Ukraine? Political scientist and East Europe specialist Sergej Sumlenny told me he believes that the action is intended to blur the legal boundaries, to push the limits of acceptability and pave the way for the use of more lethal agents.

“They try to push the limits of the possible,” says Sumlenny. “They distort and erase the limits of legality.”

As the incidents mentioned above show, there is often confusion about what chemical is involved in an attack. In Syria, some chemical attacks involved a mixture of tear gas and nerve agents, spreading uncertainty and making forensic analysis difficult. If tear gas attacks become routine, separating out lethal incidents from ‘just’ tear gas becomes much harder.

Read full story at: Forbes.com