An American soldier who volunteered in Ukraine to confront the Russian military said Moscow is using white phosphorus in warfare.
The interview with the young man was broadcast on American television CBS. His real name is unclear, only his military nickname – Elvis.
“The war in Ukraine is being fought against pure evil,” he says in the interview. According to him, anyone who suggests that Kiev should simply start peace talks with Moscow should first go for a walk around the Ukrainian countryside to find out what really happened.
Most shocking of all, during the interview, Elvis talked about the use of white phosphorus in Russian attacks, something Moscow vehemently denies, but Elvis saw with his own eyes.
Photo: Getty Images
“The white phosphorus falls to the ground very slowly, but there’s nothing you can do about it. Everything it touches lights up,” says Elvis.
He was present at a white phosphorus attack that burned between 20 and 30 Ukrainian soldiers alive.
“A lot of these guys carry guns with a bullet in them. You hear them scream in pain at the touch of the white phosphorus, then say “goodbye” and shoot each other in the head. “They prefer to take the bullet themselves instead of being burned alive,” says the man.
“There are some weapons that I have seen on the battlefield in Ukraine … well, it’s a war, I understand, but there are weapons that if the world sees what they do and how people die because of them, it will become an even bigger tragedy says Elvis.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
What is white phosphorus?
White phosphorus is a waxy chemical that ignites instantly when it comes in contact with oxygen.
Its most basic function in weapons is to burn extremely bright, used for lighting attacks around the world, including the United States. It is used in night conditions when visibility is reduced to illuminate a target.
In contact with the skin, however, it is extremely dangerous and can lead to a slow and painful death.
Photo: Getty Images
White phosphorus burns with a flame of 800 degrees Celsius. The chemical does not stop burning until it has absorbed all the available oxygen.
In contact with a person, it burns the skin slowly and deeply and can even burn bones. In an attempt to be cleansed, the contamination spreads to unaffected parts of the body. Since white phosphorus does not stop burning, it is absorbed deep into the body and can lead to organ failure.
White phosphorus vapors cause eye and soft tissue irritation.
Uses and prohibitions
White phosphorus was first used for arson in the 19th century by Irish nationalists.
White phosphorus was also popular during WWI and WWII and was subsequently used in Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Vietnam.
White phosphorus is widely used in the chemical industry but is banned and restricted for certain military purposes.
According to paragraph 1, Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, white phosphorus falls into the category of incendiary weapons. They are defined by the description “ammunition that is used to ignite objects or to cause burns to people”. In the same protocol, but paragraph 2, prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilian targets (also prohibited by the Geneva Convention).
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“It is forbidden to use incendiary weapons against civilian as well as military targets located on civilian land, unless all steps are taken to minimize casualties,” the convention states.
However, there are exceptions. Under the bans, white phosphorus can be used for the purpose of creating a smoke screen, illuminating targets, and more. Use against military targets is also permitted, but on the condition that it is used to minimally hit live targets.
