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Russian military forces are moving to standardised use of chemical weapons during the war in Ukraine, according to information published by Dutch and German intelligence agencies.
The use of chemical weapons by Russia is intensifying in the conflict according to information collected by the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD, Netherlands MOD), General Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (AIVD) and the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND).
Although Russia has previously used tear-gas in the conflict, the agencies now allege it is using the more powerful chemical, chloropicrin. Chloropicrin is lethal at high concentrations in closed spaces and is a serious violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of this asphyxiating substance under all circumstances.
Dutch Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans has officially confirmed the findings.
“Russia is increasingly using chemical weapons. It is happening systematically and on a substantial scale. This is a sliding scale. It is completely unacceptable and shows once again what a brutal aggressor Ukraine is facing,” he said.
“We are making this public now, because the Russian use of chemical weapons must not be normalised.
“If the threshold for this use of these types of weapons is lowered, this is not only dangerous for Ukraine but also for the rest of Europe and the world.
“More sanctions, isolation of Russia and undiminished military support for Ukraine are appropriate.”
In addition, the agencies also concluded that Russian forces are using chemical weapons to force Ukrainian service members to leave their shelters, before they are killed by conventional munitions.
Russian military leadership, including the Russian Radiological, Chemical and Biological defence forces, supports the use of chemical weapons and has also actively facilitated them into standardised use, according to the agencies.
The agencies allege that Russian research into chemical weapons is expanding, being invested in and recruited personnel into.
“It shows that Russia is intensifying its use of chemical weapons,” MIVD director Vice Admiral Peter Reesink said.
“At the same time, we see that Russia is deploying these types of weapons with increasing ease. This increases the threat posed by the Russian chemical weapons program.”
Russia has carried out more than 9,000 chemical weapons attacks since the large-scale invasion in 2022. At least three deaths have been directly attributed by Ukraine to exposure to chemical weapons, according to data released by the Ukrainian government.
