Russia is widely using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, including chloropicrin, German and Dutch intelligence report

German and Dutch intelligence services have gathered evidence that Russia is widely using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, Reuters has reported. According to findings released on July 4, Russian forces have been dropping choking agents from drones in order to force Ukrainian soldiers out of their trenches and expose them to enemy fire.

“We can confirm Russia is intensifying its use of chemical weapons,” Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans told Reuters. He called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. The BND, Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, supported the Dutch findings, stating that it, together with its Dutch counterparts, has obtained evidence of Russia’s use of banned substances.

According to Brekelmans, at least three Ukrainian deaths have been linked to the use of chemical weapons. More than 2,500 Ukrainian troops wounded on the battlefield have reported to doctors symptoms that are consistent with chemical weapon exposure. The Ukrainian side claims to have documented approximately 9,000 cases of Russia using banned substances.

Peter Reesink, head of the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) in the Netherlands, stated that cases of Russian chemical weapons use are not isolated incidents, but instead constitute an “almost standing operating procedure.” The head of MIVD confirmed that Russia is using chloropicrin — a liquid chemical warfare agent listed as a prohibited choking agent by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He specified that: “We specifically linked the use of chloropicrin to improvised munitions, such as filled light bulbs and empty bottles that are hung from a drone. When it comes to teargas, we see that they are also misusing and converting existing munitions to act as the carrier for the gas.”

Chloropicrin causes severe irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract, and ingestion can lead to burns in the mouth and stomach.

This is not the first time Russian forces have been accused of deploying the substance on the battlefield. As early as May 2024, the U.S. State Department stated that Russia was using chloropicrin in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. However, the OPCW rejected the claim, citing insufficient evidence.