Russia is facing new sanctions from the United States after being accused of using chloropicrin as a chemical weapon in violation of the ban treaty. The US State Department made these accusations in a bulletin announcing the new sanctions, stating that Russia has used chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces, violating the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that Russia has used riot control substances such as tear gas, which are prohibited in warfare according to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
According to Ukrainska Pravda, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Armed Forces also accused Russia of using chloropicrin. Chloropicrin, originally used as a chemical weapon in World War I, is now used in agriculture as an insecticide and is classified by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as an asphyxiant gas that affects the lungs. Despite these accusations, Russia denies having an arsenal of chemical weapons for military use.
The Foreign Ministry’s press release suggests that the use of these chemicals may be driven by Russian forces’ desire to expel Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and gain tactical advantages on the battlefield. The ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate with this latest development.
