[Moscow's] Nerve Gas Denial

Moscow Times | June 11, 2002

[Stand Watch Listen]

MOSCOW (AP) -- The head of Russia's radiation, chemical and biological defense troops denied Monday that Soviet troops could have left chemical weapons at an Uzbek base now being used by U.S. troops.

U.S. military officials said Sunday that traces of nerve agents and mustard gas were found at the Khanabad air base. They said the contamination was thought to be from chemical weapons stored there by the Soviet Union.

"In accordance with international agreements, the troops have long been rid of poisonous substances," Colonel General Viktor Kholstov told the Interfax-Military News Agency. "They are kept at special storage installations."

[oyez]

Whatever!

[Young Werther]

I remember the reporting at the time. The fact that a Chemical/Biological decontamination unit had been deployed to Afghanistan meant only one thing. There were Chemical/Biological agents present!