Ukraine Reports 465 Chemical Attacks by Russia Since Start of Full-Scale Invasion

The Armed Forces (AFU) Support Forces Command, in a Facebook report, claims that Russian troops have conducted 465 chemical attacks in Ukraine since the initiation of the full-scale invasion, with over 80 such attacks in December 2023, including one grenade containing a new, unknown chemical agent.

The report states, “The defense forces recorded 465 cases of the Russian Federation using ammunition equipped with poisonous chemical substances. Of these, 81 cases occurred in December of this year alone.”

The command notes an escalating trend in the use of such weapons by Russian forces, highlighting eight chemical attacks on Dec. 19 alone.

The commonly used weapons include grenades like K-51, RGR, and Drofa-PM gas hand grenades dropped from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Additionally, improvised explosive devices equipped with irritant substances and artillery shelling containing chemically dangerous substances are being employed.

Also, a new type of special RG-VO gas grenade carrying an unknown chemical substance was discovered on Dec. 14.

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Photo: Special Forces Command Facebook post

The report mentions that 28 cases involving dangerous chemicals were documented and forwarded for investigative actions as part of criminal proceedings by groups of radiation, chemical, and biological intelligence from the military units of the Support Forces Command, working in collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

In 1993, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction was signed. This international treaty, operating within the framework of the United Nations for arms control, came into force on April 29, 1997.

Russia is a signatory to the chemical warfare-banning treaty, ratifying it fully on Nov. 5, 1997.