Russian occupation forces are forcibly using chemical weapons in the war against Ukraine, violating the Convention on Chemical Weapons, to which the aggressor country is also a party. This information is provided in a summary by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which refers to data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the report, since the start of the full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, Russian armed forces have used chemical weapons in Ukraine at least 626 times. In the first few weeks of 2024 alone, this happened no less than 51 times.
The Ukrainian General Staff indicates that the Russian army is currently launching chemical weapons against Defense Forces positions up to 10 times a day. In particular, the occupiers are using drones to drop K-51 grenades filled with the irritating gas CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile).
For example, on December 14, 2023, an attack using a new type of gas grenade containing CS gas was recorded against Ukrainian positions. Also, on December 22, the 810th Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces admitted to using chemical weapons against the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reporting the use of K-51 grenades from drones over positions on the left bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region near the village of Krynka.
“Russia, which is a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of chemical weapons as a method of warfare, is using the K-51 grenade in the conflict against Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) recalled.
The K-51 grenade in question is a Soviet hand-held, non-lethal aerosol “teardrop” grenade developed in the 1970s. The technical specifications of this weapon are available on Russian weapons websites, but Russian government authorities avoid mentioning the use of this weapon in armed conflicts, as the Convention prohibits the use of chemical weapons in hostilities.
The grenade body is made of hard plastic, the bottom is metal. After ignition, a reaction occurs that increases the pressure inside the body, squeezing the bottom and spraying a powdered chemical substance. Two possible options for the composition of the grenade are CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile), which is described in the book “From chlorine and phosgene to “Novichok”. The history of Soviet chemical weapons, or chloropicrin. In closed rooms, the effect of the grenade extends to 400 sq. m.”
The K-51 grenade, developed in the USSR for the military and special services, turns out to be several times more powerful than the standard police tear gas weapon used to disperse mass demonstrations.
Although a grenade is a non-lethal weapon, its high power can temporarily disarm a soldier, making him vulnerable to lethal enemy weapons. Contact with the gas leads to such unpleasant effects as watery eyes, shortness of breath, coughing, nasal congestion, and the possibility of vomiting. The intensity of the symptoms increases with each minute spent in the toxic cloud.
In November 2023, Russian troops used chemical weapons in the Svatyiv and Bakhmut directions. To attack the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the enemy used chloropicrin, which causes severe irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, and can lead to vomiting, dizziness, and convulsions.
