The United States has formally accused Russia of using chemical weapons “as a method of warfare” against Ukraine and imposed sweeping new sanctions on Russian firms and government bodies. The US State Department stated that Russia has used the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Additionally, Russia was accused of using riot control agents, such as tear gas, during the conflict.
Ukrainian troops have reported encountering gas and other irritant chemicals on the frontline with Russian forces. The Ukrainian armed forces documented over a thousand incidents of Russia using prohibited tear gas munitions equipped with toxic chemicals, with 250 cases in February alone.
