Russia systematically uses chemical weapons against Ukraine troops - media

That’s according to a report by The Telegraph, seen by Ukrinform.

The Ukrainian forces say they are subjected to regular attacks from small drones, dropping tear gas and other chemicals.

The use of such gas, which is known as CS and commonly used by riot police, is banned during wartime under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the report said.

Ihor, the commander of a Ukrainian reconnaissance team who is deployed near the frontline city of Chasiv Yar, in Donetsk region, said: “Nearly every position in our area of the front was getting one or two gas grenades dropped on them a day.”

He said that because of how embedded many Ukrainian troops are now it was difficult for the Russians to attack with conventional artillery or drones firing missiles, adding: “The only way for them to successfully attack us was with gas.”

According to him, the Russian army employs chemical weapons to cause panic and soldiers to get out of their fortifications, which allows the Russians to attack them with conventional weapons.

Slava, a senior lieutenant whose unit is deployed near Lyman, in Donetsk region, said some Ukrainian units in his area were coming under “almost daily” gas attacks.

One of the Russian CS gas grenades was provided to the publication for review by American military medic and qualified nurse Rebekah Maciorowski, who serves with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Maciorowski is regularly called to provide medical aid to Ukrainian soldiers in the three brigades she works with in Donetsk region after what she describes are “systematic” chemical weapon attacks.

“My guys retrieved it whilst under fire because nobody believed they were being attacked with chemical weapons,” the medic said.

Marc-Michael Blum, a chemical weapons expert and former head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons laboratory, confirmed the recovered munition was a K-51 gas grenade, which are typically filled with tear gas.

As reported with reference to the Ukrainian military, as of January 13, Russia has carried out 626 chemical attacks in Ukraine.