US State Department: Russia used banned chemical weapons against Ukraine

Russian forces deployed a prohibited chemical weapon targeting Ukrainian military personnel, according to the U.S. Department of State. The substance identified is chloropicrin, recognized for its noxious odor and capacity to infiltrate the body via inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact.

“The use of such chemicals is not an isolated incident, and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. 

Russia’s employment of chloropicrin to quell riots beyond the battlefield has raised concerns over its compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. The report highlights instances where the Kremlin has allegedly neglected its obligations, including the poisoning cases of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, former GRU colonel Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia with the Novichok nerve agent.

In response, the United States has imposed sanctions on entities linked to Russia’s Defense Ministry, specifically targeting the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops, the Russian Research Institute of Applied Acoustics, and the 48th Central Research Institute of the Russian Defense Ministry for their involvement in chemical weapons development.