The US has levelled accusations against Russia for employing the prohibited asphyxiating agent Chloropicrin to displace Ukrainian troops on Thursday, coinciding with its most significant offensive in the Eastern European nation two years into its military intervention.
The State Department stated that the use of chemical agents by Russian forces in Ukraine is not an isolated event, likely driven by a desire to dislodge Ukrainian troops and gain tactical advantage. In response, the US announced sanctions against three Russian government entities linked to chemical and biological weapons programs. However, Russia denied the accusation, stating it adheres to international treaties banning chemical weapons. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the US allegations as unfounded and reiterated Russia’s commitment to international law. Both the US and Ukraine have accused Russia of employing riot control agents against Ukrainian troops.
Chloropicrin, identified as a banned choking agent by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) based in The Hague, oversees compliance with the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). It gained infamy during World War I when German forces deployed it against Allied troops, marking one of the earliest instances of chemical warfare.
Described by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), chloropicrin manifests as a slightly oily, colourless to yellow liquid with a pungent, irritating odour. This chemical is a potent toxic irritant capable of swiftly inducing severe inflammation in the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as causing significant damage to the upper and lower respiratory tract. Exposure typically occurs through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact.
At elevated concentrations, chloropicrin can induce nausea and vomiting; however, its toxicity is comparatively lower than other chemical weapons. During World War I, when Nazi German forces deployed it as tear gas, Allied troops were compelled to remove their masks to vomit, exposing them to more lethal chemical agents used in the conflict. Consequently, chloropicrin hasn’t received approval for use within the European Union.
Beyond its role as a chemical warfare agent, chloropicrin serves as a soil fumigant, particularly for strawberry crops. Additionally, it functions as a pesticide, and upon skin contact, it can provoke blistering, respiratory difficulties, headaches, and bluish discoloration of the skin.
Previously, the Ukrainian military reported that Russia has intensified its illicit deployment of riot control agents amid its significant advancements in eastern Ukraine, marking the most significant escalation in over two years. Alongside chloropicrin, Ukrainian authorities assert that Russian forces have employed grenades containing CS and CN gases. According to Ukrainian military sources, over 500 Ukrainian soldiers have received medical treatment due to exposure to these toxic substances, and tragically, one soldier lost their life due to suffocation from tear gas.
Soldiers trapped in trenches without gas masks during conflicts risk suffocation when exposed to riot control gases, unlike civilians who can typically escape. The use of these gases by Russia in Ukraine echoes tactics seen in previous poisonings, such as those of Alexei Navalny and Sergei Skripal. In response, the US imposed sanctions on entities involved in procuring items for Russian military institutes linked to chemical and biological weapons programs. This action was part of broader measures targeting Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the production and use of chemical weapons, with Russia and the US among its signatories. Accusations of treaty breaches have arisen between Russia and Ukraine in OPCW meetings.
