The story goes on under the ad Asked by reporters about Zelensky’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peshkov said on Friday that Russia “has never violated international conventions.” An industrial chemical with incendiary properties, white phosphorus can be used in conflict for a variety of reasons. When an ammunition containing the substance explodes, the chemical inside creates a thick white cloud. Many countries, including the United States, have used the substance to create a smokescreen during conflict or to send a signal to troops. But the substance itself can cause serious harm to humans, including death. White phosphorus burns at extremely high temperatures of 800 degrees Celsius and above, so if the substance comes in contact with human flesh it can burn to the bone. As it reacts with oxygen, it can even catch fire again when the bandages are removed. The story goes on under the ad The chemical can also enter the bloodstream if exposed to prolonged exposure to the flesh, poisoning organs such as the kidneys, liver and heart and possibly causing multiple organ failure. Smoke released by white phosphorus can also damage the respiratory system. However, as white phosphorus has some legal uses, it has a complex place in international humanitarian law. It is not considered a chemical weapon and is not in itself prohibited by international humanitarian law. The story goes on under the ad The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, signed by Russia and 112 other countries, prohibits the use of incendiary weapons in civilian areas. But since the primary purpose of white phosphorus is to create smoke, some legal scholars argue that it should not be considered an incendiary weapon. Groups such as Human Rights Watch have called on governments to rewrite Protocol III, which focuses on incendiary weapons, to include white phosphorus and other modern weapons more clearly. Indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas is considered a war crime regardless of the weapon used in accordance with international humanitarian law. Russian officials have also accused Ukraine of using white phosphorus in its fight against Moscow-backed separatists since 2014, although Ukraine has denied using incendiary bombs and human rights groups say they have found no evidence to support the allegations. In a 2015 letter to Human Rights Watch, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had agreed that “the improper use of weapons such as incendiary devices causes significant humanitarian damage.”
