The United States leveled accusations against Russia on Wednesday, alleging violations of the international ban on chemical weapons. According to the State Department, Russia deployed the choking agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops and employed riot control agents as a method of warfare in Ukraine.
The State Department’s statement indicated that the use of such chemicals was not an isolated incident but rather a deliberate strategy by Russian forces to gain tactical advantages on the battlefield by dislodging Ukrainian troops from fortified positions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the U.S. accusation on Thursday, asserting that Russia remained committed to its obligations under the treaty banning chemical weapons and dismissing the allegations as unfounded.
Chloropicrin, classified as a banned choking agent by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), has historical notoriety as it was used by German forces against Allied troops during World War I.
Recent reports from the Ukrainian military have highlighted Russia’s intensified use of riot control agents, including grenades loaded with CS and CN gases, resulting in numerous cases of exposure and casualties among Ukrainian soldiers.
The State Department announced its determination to Congress that Russia’s use of chloropicrin violated the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and also breached the convention’s prohibition on the use of riot control agents as a method of warfare.
In response, the U.S. imposed sanctions on three Russian state entities and four supporting companies linked to Moscow’s chemical and biological weapons programs. Additionally, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned three entities and two individuals involved in procuring items for Russian military institutes engaged in chemical and biological weapons programs.
These sanctions aim to freeze U.S. assets belonging to the targeted entities and individuals and restrict Americans from conducting business with them.
The allegations come amid heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with the U.S. and its allies taking measures to hold Russia accountable for its actions during the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the production and use of chemical weapons and mandates the destruction of banned chemical stocks by member states, including Russia and the U.S. The State Department is expected to convey its determination of Russia’s violations to the OPCW, although formal investigations into the alleged use of prohibited substances in Ukraine have not been initiated by the organization.
