(LEX 18) — A group of civilians and military leaders celebrated on Wednesday, the latest milestone in the effort to eliminate the country’s stockpile of chemical weapons. That stockpile is located at two sites, one of which is the Blue Grass Army Depot.
In April, they safely destroyed the last of their VX Rockets, which carry a nerve agent. It is the fourth of 5 weapons they are eliminating, the last of which represents half of the original chemical weapon stockpile at the site.
Mustard gas weapons were destroyed earlier.
"The destruction of these weapons stored here will not end war,” said Richmond mayor Robert Blythe. “But the elimination of potential destruction of life by these weapons will give some hope"
The military is committed to eliminating the nation’s chemical weapons stockpile by an international treaty date of September 2023, and Congress' deadline of December 2023, said Kingston Reif, the Pentagon Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for threat reduction and arms control.
“The progress the plant is making has profound implications on international peace and security,” Reif said.
