Nearly 14,000 Russian chemical attacks against Ukrainian forces recorded since February 2022

Maksym Kravchuk, Spokesperson for the Support Forces Command, told Ukrinform.

According to Kravchuk, Russian troops continue to systematically employ hazardous riot-control chemical agents alongside conventional weapons. Nearly 200 such incidents were recorded in June 2026, compared with almost 250 in May.

"At present, the number of such attacks has declined, but it is difficult to predict the enemy's future actions," Kravchuk said.

He specified that Russian forces use K-51 and RG-Vo gas grenades, as well as improvised containers filled with CS and CN chemical agents. These substances are primarily delivered by unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to the Spokesperson, Russian troops most frequently deploy these agents against Ukrainian defensive positions to force soldiers out of their shelters and gain a tactical advantage in specific sectors of the front.

"The RCBN units of the Support Forces continuously document every instance of hazardous chemical agent use, and the collected samples are submitted for laboratory analysis," Kravchuk added.

Overall, he said, the RCBN Defense Troops have documented more than 13,700 cases of hazardous chemical agents being used against Ukraine's Defense Forces since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.

"Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the use of such substances as a method of warfare is prohibited. CS and CN agents may be used by law enforcement agencies only in peacetime and exclusively for riot control under strict limitations. Their use in combat constitutes a serious violation of international law," Kravchuk stressed.

He added that although these substances are not classified as lethal chemical warfare agents, they can still pose a serious threat.

"Exposure causes severe irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, excessive tearing, coughing, shortness of breath, disorientation, and temporary loss of combat capability. In some cases, the symptoms may indicate the use of other chemical irritants or mixtures of unknown composition. Service members should under no circumstances neglect personal protective equipment, especially gas masks, which provide respiratory protection," the Support Forces Command Spokesperson warned.

As reported by Ukrinform, 237 cases of Russian forces using hazardous chemical agents on the battlefield were recorded in May.

Photo: Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine