Russian troops use chemical munitions nearly 400 times in February – UAF Support Forces

Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Kravchuk, head of the communications department of the Command of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated this in a comment to Ukrinform.

Throughout February 2026, in addition to conventional means of fire damage, the enemy used special munitions loaded with irritant chemical agents. In particular, they deployed K-51 and RG-VO gas grenades containing the chemical agents CS and CN. These grenades are classified as riot control agents.

The Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense units of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recorded nearly 400 such cases in February 2026.

CS and CN substances are officially used in some countries by law enforcement agencies exclusively in peacetime for policing purposes, including crowd control, provided strict norms and limitations are observed.

These substances are not included in the list of lethal combat toxic agents and are not aggressive solvents of equipment or personal protective gear. They are also not intended for immediate lethal harm to personnel.

However, they cause severe irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, tearing, coughing, choking, disorientation, and temporary loss of combat capability.

In a number of cases, the symptoms described by servicemembers may partially coincide with the effects of other chemical irritants, including riot control agents or mixtures of unknown composition.

According to paragraph 5 of Article 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, the use of such substances as a method of warfare is prohibited.

Units of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine document cases of the use of hazardous chemical substances, and collected samples are submitted for forensic examination.

Overall, since the beginning of the Russian Federation's armed aggression against Ukraine, more than 13,000 cases of the use of hazardous chemical substances have been documented.

As Ukrinform previously reported, in January 2026, 224 cases of Russian forces using hazardous chemical substances were recorded.