Ukraine has accused Russia of committing war crimes through the widespread use of chemical agents in its ongoing war, presenting evidence at the 108th meeting of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague on March 4-5.
Thousands of Documented Chemical Attacks
Andrii Kasyanov, Deputy Director of the International Security Department at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, detailed Russia’s alleged violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), citing data from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.
The report documented over 6,900 instances of Russian forces using chemical munitions from February 2023 to February 2025.
In just one month—from December 24, 2024, to January 24, 2025—844 chemical attacks were recorded, with more than 2,100 Ukrainian servicemembers requiring medical treatment for chemical exposure, including three fatalities.
Kasyanov described these incidents as a clear violation of Article 1 of the CWC, which prohibits the use of toxic chemical agents in warfare.
Russian-Made Gas Grenades Identified
Ukraine’s presentation included findings from an OPCW investigative report confirming that RG-Vo gas grenades, discovered on Ukrainian territory, contained CS gas—a chemical commonly used in riot control but banned in warfare under international law.
The grenades were traced back to two Russian state-owned laboratories:
The Russian Scientific Center for Applied Chemistry
The Scientific and Applied Institute of Applied Chemistry
These findings support Ukraine’s claims that Russia is systematically deploying chemical agents on the battlefield.
Ukraine’s Call for International Action
During the meeting, Ukraine urged the international community to further isolate Russia within the OPCW and block its bid for a third consecutive term on the organization’s Executive Council.
The Ukrainian delegation also announced its own candidacy for the 2026-2028 Executive Council term, highlighting its commitment to non-proliferation and international security.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that Russia’s use of chemical weapons constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity, which have no statute of limitations. It called for swift action to hold Moscow accountable.
Reports of Russian chemical weapon use have escalated in recent months. In January, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Russian forces had conducted more than 400 chemical attacks in December alone.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has also officially accused a Russian general in absentia of ordering chemical weapon use against Ukrainian forces.
