Ukrainian military sources allege that Russian forces have escalated the use of banned tear gas on the battlefield, particularly to dislodge Ukrainian soldiers from trenches. This increase has been documented extensively over recent months, with officials noting that such tactics contravene the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, both of which prohibit the use of chemical and riot control agents in warfare. Russia is a signatory to these conventions.
According to Colonel Serhii Pakhomov, the acting head of Ukraine’s military’s atomic, biological, and chemical defense forces, there have been approximately 900 instances of riot control gas use by Russian forces in the last six months alone, with a total of 1,400 occurrences reported since the onset of the full-scale invasion. The gasses used, identified as CS, CN, and others, are typically delivered via drones deploying grenades over Ukrainian positions.
The effects of these gasses are similar to pepper spray, causing severe irritation to the eyes and respiratory system. The usage has led to at least one fatality and numerous injuries, with around 500 Ukrainian soldiers requiring medical treatment after exposure to these gasses.
The Ukrainian military is countering these tactics by issuing gas masks to troops and providing training on their use.
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