CHEMICAL WEAPONSRussia Spreads Disinformation to Cover Up Its Use of Chemical Weapons in Ukraine

Published 17 July 2024

The United States determined Russia used the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops and riot control agents (RCA) as a method of warfare in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

The U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center issued this report on Russia’s use of chemical weapons in Ukraine – and Russia’s use of disinformation to coverup its use of these weapons.

In May 2024, the United States imposed new sanctions on three Russian government entities and four Russian companies in response to its full-scale war and use of chemical weapons against Ukraine. The United States determined Russia used the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops and riot control agents (RCA) as a method of warfare in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

Chloropicrin is a choking agent that “causes severe irritation to the skin, eyes, respiratory tract (if inhaled), and gastrointestinal tract (if inhaled or ingested).” In cases of severe exposure, it can be deadly causing “potentially fatal accumulation of fluid in the lungs.”

Russia’s use of such chemicals is not an isolated incident, and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and drive them into the line of fire, the exact reason the CWC prohibits the use of RCA as method of warfare, and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield. Russia retains an undeclared chemical weapons program and has used chemical weapons, such as the Novichok nerve agents, at least twice in recent years in assassination attempts.

Cover Up and Distract

To conceal and divert attention from its violations, the Kremlin routinely spreads  unfounded and debunked allegations accusing the United States and Ukraine of using chemical and biological weapons activities in Ukraine. Russia uses this well-established  disinformation tactic, sometimes referred to as “mirror politics,” to falsely accuse others of the very violations Russia commits or plans to commit.

In the lead-up to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia’s disinformation and propaganda ecosystem falsely accused the United States and Ukraine of planning “provocations” (false flag operations) with the use of chemical weapons, likely in an attempt to demonize Ukraine and provide a pretext for Kremlin aggression. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, the Kremlin has continuously spread false claims about Ukrainian chemical weapons, alleging to have discovered “chemically hazardous substances,” accusing Ukraine of using UAVs adapted for chemical weapons use, and claiming that the United States supports Ukraine’s use of chemical weapons. All of these claims are deceptive.