Russia steps up chemical weapon deployment in Ukraine, reports indicate
Russia's chemical weapons program is expanding, with heavy investments in research and recruitment of new scientists, posing a persistent threat to global security, according to intelligence reports from the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States.
The reports suggest that Russia has significantly escalated its use of chemical weapons, including banned agents like chloropicrin, in Ukraine. Dutch Military Intelligence (MIVD), the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), and the German foreign intelligence service (BND) have confirmed these weapons are being deployed systematically and at a large scale.
Chloropicrin, a World War I-era chemical agent banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, is being used alongside riot control agents such as CS. Russian forces are reportedly dropping these agents via drones or grenades onto Ukrainian positions, particularly trenches and dugouts, to dislodge soldiers and make them vulnerable to further attacks.
The use of these chemicals is described as "standardized and commonplace," with Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans warning that their use is being normalized and could set a dangerous international precedent.
The U.S. State Department had previously reported in May 2024 that Russia was using chloropicrin in Ukraine, although some original statements have reportedly been removed from official websites. Ukrainian sources estimate thousands of chemical attacks since 2022, but the full scale and lethality are difficult to ascertain due to limitations in identification and verification equipment.
At least three deaths have been directly attributed to chemical weapons exposure in Ukraine, according to recent intelligence assessments. The use of chloropicrin is of particular concern, as it can be fatal in high concentrations in enclosed spaces and is clearly banned under international law.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been informed by Ukraine about over 9,700 cases between February 2023 and June 2025 where Russian troops used ammunition containing dangerous chemical warfare agents as weapons of war. However, the Ukrainian General Staff did not specify which specific chemical agents were used in these incidents.
The Ukrainian General Staff stated that the Russian army has not yet used deadly chemical warfare agents. This statement was made during an information session for 35 military attachés in Kyiv at the end of May.
The use of chemical weapons by Russia is causing many more indirect casualties, as it forces Ukrainian soldiers to leave their cover and become vulnerable to conventional ammunition. The Chemical Weapons Convention aims for a global ban on chemical weapons and prohibits the use of chloropicrin and tear gas under all circumstances.
The escalating use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, especially chloropicrin, is a growing threat not only to Ukraine but also to Europe and global non-proliferation efforts, according to intelligence agencies. The international community is urged to take immediate action to address this escalating crisis.
- The alleged expansion of Russia's chemical weapons program, as reported by intelligence agencies in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, raises concerns about the normalization of the use of chemical weapons in conflicts like the one in Ukraine, potentially setting a dangerous international precedent in the realm of science and medical-conditions.
- As confirmed by Dutch Military Intelligence (MIVD), the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), and the German foreign intelligence service (BND), the use of banned chemicals like chloropicrin, in conjunction with riot control agents, in war-and-conflicts such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, violates international law and could have serious political implications.
- The growing use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, particularly chloropicrin, has the potential to impact general-news, as it threatens not only Ukraine's security but also Europe's and the broader non-proliferation efforts, and requires immediate attention and action from the international community.
