Recent messages on Russian Telegram channels have confirmed the use of chemical weapons by a Russian neo-Nazi unit against Ukrainian troops.
Previously dismissed by Russian authorities as "unfounded," these allegations have gained credibility after a video was shared on one of the unit’s channels, stating: “We are targeting Ukrainian strongholds with VOG grenades and chloropicrin.”
Chloropicrin is a toxic chemical first used during World War I and is banned under the Geneva Conventions.
Exposure to it can cause temporary blindness, severe coughing, respiratory and skin burns, nausea, and, in high doses, seizures.
This news aligns with further reports of Russian forces using chemical weapons.
According to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Russian troops deployed chemical weapons 447 times in August alone, and 4,035 times since the invasion began in February 2022.
The chemicals used include K-51 and RG-VO, both classified as riot control agents, which are prohibited in warfare. The General Staff condemned these actions as clear violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the production, stockpiling, and use of such weapons.
International condemnation has followed, with the UK imposing sanctions on Russia’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense troops and their commander, Igor Kirillov, for their role in these attacks.
Meanwhile, reports indicate an escalation in the use of chemical-laden munitions by Russian forces, raising alarms among Ukrainian medical authorities. Over 1,385 military personnel have sought treatment for symptoms linked to chemical exposure.
