Russian Forces Used Banned Chemical Weapons Hundreds of Times in December Alone, General Staff Says

Russian forces have continued deploying chemical munitions against Ukraine’s Defense Forces, according to a recent statement by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on January 18. Over 400 such incidents were recorded last month alone.

The General Staff reported that Russian troops employed munitions containing hazardous chemical substances, such as K-51 and RG-VO.

These agents, originally designed for crowd control, are prohibited from use in warfare under international conventions. In addition, a significant portion of the munitions contained unidentified chemical compounds, posing further risks.

Data from the Ukrainian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Reconnaissance units indicate that 434 incidents of chemical weapon use were documented in December 2024. Since February 2023, the total number of recorded instances has reached 5,389.

Ukraine’s General Staff emphasized that the systematic use of chemical weapons by Russia violates international norms, including the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, stockpiling, and use of such weapons.

“From the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian reconnaissance units have documented numerous cases of hazardous chemical substances being deployed on the battlefield,” the statement added.

Earlier, in October 2024, Russian forces reportedly used chemical weapons 323 times, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. The US State Department has confirmed that Russian forces have deployed the chemical agent chloropicrin in Ukraine.