Since early 2023, over 9,160 chemical attacks by Russia have been documented
A special briefing was held for the Kyiv Association of Military Attachés (KAVA), focusing on Russia’s chemical attacks against the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The event was organized by the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and attended by representatives of over 35 countries.
Ukrainian military officers reported numerous cases of Russia using riot control chemicals as weapons of war, violating the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Use of Gas Grenades
According to Colonel Serhii Pakhomov, Deputy Chief of the CBRN Defense Command, Russian forces have used K-51 and RG-Vo grenades as well as improvised gas grenades filled with CS and CN tear agents. Although these agents are considered “riot control agents” under the Convention, their use in warfare is explicitly prohibited.
The Russian command is fully aware of the consequences, as Russia is a member of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Incident Monitoring and Documentation
Colonel Yevhen Nahornyi, Chief of CBRN Defense Forces, stated that several dozen specialized reconnaissance teams have been deployed to record and verify chemical agent usage. In May 2025 alone, 888 cases were documented, and a total of 9,167 since February 15, 2023. Most of the agents were delivered via drones dropping K-51 or RG-Vo grenades.
International Support
Colonel Nahornyi thanked Ukraine’s international partners for providing specialized equipment that is now being used by frontline CBRN units.
As of May 29, 2025, there have been no recorded uses of lethal chemical warfare agents by Russia. Should such agents be deployed, Ukraine’s specialized forces are prepared to detect and document these violations and report them publicly.
