US completing destruction of its chemical weapons, watchdog says

The headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. EPA

The US is completing the destruction of its last declared chemical weapons stockpiles, of which two remained, the world's chemical watchdog said on Wednesday.

US officials made the announcement at a two-day meeting, held last week at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons' headquarters in The Hague, the OPCW said.

Chemical stockpiles were eradicated at a specially built Blue Grass facility in Richmond, Kentucky, where nerve agent-filled munitions were being stored.

“The United States is in the process of completing destruction of its remaining chemical weapons stockpiles,” the OPCW said in a statement.

So far, the US has destroyed 97.65 per cent of its most dangerous Category 1 chemical weapons.

All Category 2 and 3 weapons have been destroyed.

US President Joe Biden last week warned that a chemical attack in Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February was a credible threat.

Russia is a member of the OPCW and has said it no longer has a military chemical arsenal, but the country has faced pressure for more transparency over the alleged use of toxic weapons.

In 2020, Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny suffered serious poisoning in Siberia, holding President Vladimir Putin responsible.

In 2018, former KGB agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent in Britain.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the attacks.

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's forces have been accused of using chemical weapons in several incidents during the civil war which began in 2011.

Backed by Moscow, Damascus has always denied using chemical weapons and claimed to have given up all stockpiles under international and OPCW supervision after a 2013 agreement.