Russia has ended the destruction of its chemical arsenal ahead of schedule, President Vladimir Putin said. Putin described the event as historic given the huge amount of chemical weapons left over from Soviet times, reports TASS. 

"Although our country was planning to complete this work by 2020, it ended earlier than the deadline," he said. In a statement broadcast on "Russia 24", Putin noted that the United States failed to fulfill its commitment to destroy its chemical arsenal and three times they postponed it on the grounds that they lack the resources.

The use of the last chemical munitions of a polygon in the Russian republic of Udmurtia was made today by order of Supreme Commander Vladimir Putin. He has issued the telecommand order from his residence in Novo Ogarevo near Moscow. For its chemical disarmament, Russia has received financial assistance from 16 countries, as well as from the European Union and an American non-governmental organization, TASS recalls. Most funds have been disbursed by the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada.