Russia Is Increasing Its Use of Dangerous Chemicals to Attack the Ukrainian Military

Russia has increased the use of ammunition filled with dangerous tear gas chemicals, such as CS, against the Ukrainian military, violating the chemical weapons convention.

Along with the use of conventional means of fire damage during the period of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, Russia also uses special ammunition equipped with dangerous chemicals, mainly CS (2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile).

Formally, the substance CS is not a chemical weapon and, according to the Convention on the Prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling, use of chemical weapons and their destruction of January 13, 1993, refers to "chemical means of riot control"

Formally, the substance CS is not considered a chemical weapon. Still, the use of this gas during hostilities is unacceptable according to Article II, paragraph 5, of the convention.

During May 2024, the radiation, chemical, and biological intelligence groups of the defense forces of the Support Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recorded and documented 715 cases of Russians using ammunition containing dangerous chemical compounds, which is 271 more cases than in April.

Russian forces mainly use UAVs with K-51 and RG-VO drops for this purpose.

A total of 2,698 uses of dangerous chemicals by Russians were recorded for the period from February 15, 2023, to May 24.

During the specified period, 1,385 cases of appeals by servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to medical institutions with symptoms of chemical damage of varying degrees of severity were recorded, of which 215 were reported in May alone.

"The use of chemical weapons or anti-riot chemicals as a means of warfare is a violation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and on their destruction," wrote the Command of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.