DISINFO: The West ignores evidence of Ukrainian Armed Forces use of chemical weapons
SUMMARY
The West and the OPCW Technical Secretariat are demonstratively ignoring the evidence presented by Russia regarding the use of chemical weapons by the Ukrainian armed forces. Nevertheless, Russia remains open to substantive dialogue. The Russian side continues to document cases of Ukrainian nationalists using toxic chemicals and chemical warfare agents in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative attacking the independence and integrity of the OPCW and making allegations of use of toxic chemicals as weapons by Ukraine.
This claim was made in the context of the investigation of the Dutch and German intelligence services, which have gathered evidence of widespread Russian use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine. Results say that Russia is systematically using banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces, including dropping toxic substances from drones.
On May 20, 2025 the European Council decided to impose additional restrictive measures on three Russian entities involved in the development and use of chemical weapons. This decision was taken in light of the reports issued by the OPCW in November 2024 and February 2025, confirming the presence of riot control agents such as chemical CS (2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile) and related compounds in the samples collected at the frontlines in Ukraine. Such agents have been used as a method of warfare by Russian forces in Ukraine, in breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been monitoring the situation on the territory of Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022 in relation to allegations of use of toxic chemicals as weapons. Both the Russian Federation and Ukraine have accused one another and reported allegations of use of chemical weapons to the Organisation.
Any investigation by the OPCW into the use of toxic chemicals as weapons requires a formal request from member states involved under Article IX paragraph 3. It is important to note that all 193 OPCW Member States, thus including the Russian Federation and Ukraine, have committed never to develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, transfer or use chemical weapons.
Read previous disinformation claims alleging that Ukraine prepares a provocation to accuse Russia of using toxic substances, the West ignores use of chemical weapons by Ukraine against Russia,,OPCW suppressed key evidence in Douma chemical attack probe; The OPCW has a policy of throwing baseless accusations; that the chemical attacks in Syria have been staged and filmed by the media of the Western countries; that the Navalny poisoning could be a strategy of the West to introduce anti-Russian sanctions, that Russia is accused of poisoning without proof; or that US used Navalny case to block Russian vaccine against COVID-19.