Russian troops use chemical substances on battlefield 224 times in January – military
In January 2026, 224 cases of the use of hazardous chemical substances by Russian invaders were recorded.
According to Ukrinform, the Communications Department of the Command of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated this on Facebook.
"During January 2026, alongside traditional means of firepower, the Russians regularly used special munitions equipped with irritant chemical agents," the statement said.
In particular, the enemy mainly used K-51 and RG-VO gas grenades filled with CS and CN chemical substances. These grenades belong to riot control agents.
"Units of the radiation, chemical, and biological protection troops of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are documenting cases of the use of hazardous chemical substances, and collected samples are being transferred for forensic examination," the communications department noted.
Over the entire period of armed aggression against Ukraine, more than 12,000 cases of the use of hazardous chemical substances by Russian forces have been recorded.
In accordance with paragraph 5 of Article 1 of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, the use of such substances as means of warfare is prohibited.
CS and CN substances are officially used in some countries by law enforcement agencies exclusively in peacetime for policing purposes, including crowd control, provided that strict norms and limitations are observed.
These substances are not included in the list of lethal chemical warfare agents and are not aggressive solvents for equipment or personal protective gear, nor are they intended for immediate lethal effects.
At the same time, the use of CS and CN in combat conditions is illegal and dangerous. Their use on the battlefield is aimed at temporarily incapacitating servicemen, violates international law, and poses a threat to the life and health of personnel of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
These substances cause severe irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, tearing, coughing, choking, disorientation, and temporary loss of combat effectiveness.
In some cases, the symptoms described by servicemen may partially overlap with the effects of other chemical irritants, including riot control agents or mixtures of unidentified composition.
As Ukrinform reported, Ukraine's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Andriy Kostin, stated that reports published last year following visits by the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to Ukraine prove Russia's use of chemical substances prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention on the battlefield against the Defense Forces.