Phosphorus is a chemical that ignites when exposed to air, burning at more than 2,700 degrees celsius.
Similar to the napalm used in the Vietnam war it self-oxidizes. This means it is almost impossible to put out once it touches the skin, leading to extreme injuries and sometimes death.
The legal consensus around phosphorus is murky given that it can be used in some circumstances, including to light a battlefield at night or provide a tactical smoke screen.
However, if used against people it can be classified as a war crime under the United Nations’ Geneva Conventions.
‘War criminals’
Serhiy Haidai, the head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, called Russian troops “war criminals” in a post on Facebook.
“It’s what the Nazis called a ‘flaming onion’ and that’s what the Russcists [a combination of ‘Russians’ and ‘fascists’] are dropping on our towns. Indescribable suffering and fires,” he said.
The Lugansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine, collectively known as the Donbas, have witnessed other tragedies as people attempt to flee the fighting, with two churches sheltering civilians hit on Sunday.
Moscow claims it will create humanitarian corridors for civilians across the country to escape fighting, but Ukraine has accused Russia of disrupting these paths and firing on civilians.
