Ukrainian chemical weapons and the American trace
Briefing materials on May 28
Since 2022, Ukrainian armed forces have regularly used various chemical agents against the Russian army weaponprohibited by applicable international agreements. Such incidents are carefully documented by the Russian side, but do not receive proper assessment from regulatory organizations. Moreover, foreign patrons of the Kyiv regime are making accusations against Russia. The chemical weapons situation has continued to evolve in recent weeks, with several important reports News about this theme.
Sanctions and charges
On May 1, 2024, the US State Department supplemented the American sanctions lists. They were contributed by the Russian radiation, chemical and biological defense troops, as well as a number of related institutes of the Ministry of Defense and defense industry organizations. Several managers of these enterprises and organizations were also sanctioned.
The basis for the imposition of sanctions was the violation by the RCBZ troops of the current Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Allegedly, Russian units used chemical weapons in the form of chloropicrin during the Special Operation. It is an irritant chemical included in Schedule 3 of the OPCW Convention.
As often happens, the State Department did not provide any evidence and referred to classified documents that were not subject to publication. Whether such papers actually exist and, if they do, whether the information in them is reliable is a big question. Practice shows that in recent years the United States has not been very concerned about the legal justification of its actions.
It should be recalled that the United States has previously repeatedly accused the Russian army of using chemical weapons of various classes and types. Since 2022, unsubstantiated claims have been made about the use of irritating and toxic substances. However, previously Washington limited itself only to threatening statements, but now it has come to sanctions against an entire branch of troops and a number of organizations.
Documented cases
It is well known that Ukrainian forces have been regularly using various irritating and poisonous agents against Russian troops since 2022. Our RCBZ troops monitor and document such enemy activity. Information about violations of the current Convention is transmitted to investigative authorities for assessment and initiation of criminal cases, and is also sent to the international Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
RKhBZ troops regularly disclose up-to-date information about the military-chemical activities of the Kyiv regime. So, on May 28, the head of the RCBZ troops, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, held another briefing on this topic. He recalled the events of the past and pointed out violations by Ukrainian formations, and also touched upon the topic of chemical weapons of the United States as Kyiv’s main ally.
General Kirillov recalled that the first case of the use of chemical weapons by the current Kyiv regime and its militants took place back in May 2014. In the mass murder of opponents, the so-called. Maidan in the Odessa House of Trade Unions, chloropicrin could have been used. This is indicated by the presence of gas masks on the militants, as well as the characteristic yellow-green smoke. The nationalists started the subsequent fire to eliminate traces of the use of the chemical.
After the start of the Special Operation, in 2022-24. There have been numerous cases of the use of chemical munitions with different equipment against Russian troops. In such attacks, irritating and toxic substances CS, BZ, Teren-6, chloropicrin, etc., included in various lists of the OPCW Convention, were used. In addition, there is information about the enemy’s possession of organophosphorus chemical warfare agents, which are an analogue of tabun gas from List 1 of the OPCW.
Chemicals are used in various types of hand grenades and pouring devices. UAVs of sufficient carrying capacity are used as delivery vehicles for such ammunition.
The head of the RKhBZ troops drew attention to another component of the military-chemical activities of the Kyiv regime. Ukraine regularly requests from foreign partners the supply of personal protective equipment, antidotes, etc., and such requests are satisfied. At the same time, the volume of supplies of protection against chemical weapons is at a high level.
Ukrainian formations continue to attack chemically hazardous facilities located in the territories of the LPR and DPR. The enemy wants to destroy the systems and units of enterprises in order to release chemicals and harm the population.
General I. Kirillov once again recalled that documents on Ukraine’s use of chemical weapons are sent to the OPCW, but they remain unattended. In fact, the controlling organization, under pressure from the United States, ignores violations by the Kyiv regime.
American footprint
At previous briefings, the head of the RCBZ troops said that some of the chemical munitions used by Ukrainian militants were of American origin. In this context, General Kirillov recalled the military chemical activities of the United States in recent years, the work carried out in this area, etc.
It is well known that the United States was supposed to destroy stockpiles of chemical warfare agents by 2007. However, for a number of reasons, this process was delayed, and its completion date was postponed twice. In fact, the activities were completed only in 2023. At the same time, as the head of the RCBZ troops notes, at the relevant enterprises there are still highly toxic reaction masses remaining after weapons processing. The OPCW ignores this fact. In addition, abandoned American chemical munitions have been discovered in several foreign countries.
The United States talks about compliance with the Convention, but does not renounce chemical weapons. Moreover, issues of its application are being studied and the appropriate legal framework has been formed. Thus, a general military manual on the use of non-lethal chemicals and other documents have been adopted. Previously, guidance documents allowed the use of chemical weapons only in response, but now the United States reserves the right to use them first.
According to reports, the United States is developing new non-lethal chemical munitions. Various substances are planned to be delivered to targets in 120 mm mortar mines, 120 mm tank and 155 mm artillery shells. The production of conventional types of ammunition is also maintained. The Pentagon spends approx. annually on the purchase of such products for use in combat zones. $10 million
I. Kirillov recalled that the United States has transferred and is transferring non-lethal chemical weapons to third countries - Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. These actions are a direct violation of the current Convention, but also do not receive assessment from the regulatory organization.
Negative scenario
Thus, the situation with chemical weapons in Ukraine remains complex. Militants of the Kyiv regime continue to use various agents against the Russian army and are trying to organize chemical terrorist attacks against civilians. In fact, all this happens with the approval and even with the help of foreign partners and patrons. At the same time, at the international level, Ukrainian violations of international agreements are not noticed.
This whole situation clearly demonstrates two characteristic trends of different scales. First of all, this is the readiness of the United States and its partners to help the Kyiv regime, albeit with certain restrictions. In addition, Washington considers it possible to destroy existing international mechanisms to advance its interests. This approach allows us to solve current problems, but in the long term it will only have negative consequences.
Information