Russian army uses chloropicrin. US State Department confirms use of banned chemical weapons
The United States has acknowledged that the Russian army is using a banned chemical weapon called chloropicrin in the war in Ukraine. It is also used in Russia to disperse riots.
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in a statement by the US State Department.
"In accordance with the Chemical Weapons Ban Act , the US State Department has recognised that Russia used the chemical agent chlorpicrin against Ukrainian troops in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention," the press service said.
The State Department adds that the use of chloropicrin is not an isolated incident. It is likely that Russian troops are seeking to force the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of their fortified positions and thus achieve tactical advantages.
The United States also recalled the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and Sergei and Yulia Skripal with the "Novichok" nerve agent.
Based on this, the State Department announced sanctions against the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops of the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Russian Research Institute of Applied Acoustics and the 48th Central Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defence. These agencies are involved in the development of chemical weapons. In addition, the sanctions list includes 4 companies involved in the Russian chemical weapons programme.
What is chloropicrin?
Chloropicrin is a tear gas and asphyxiant that was actively used during World War I and stockpiled during World War II, and was used by Soviet troops in Afghanistan. It is also known as nitrochloroform. It has a pungent odour. In high concentrations, it is highly toxic and belongs to the second hazard class.
Chloropicrin was used in the Soviet K-51 gas grenade, developed in the late 1970s to disperse demonstrators and defeat enemies during military operations. It has a sealed plastic case with a metal bottom. Detonation is triggered by an incendiary fuse; after the grenade starts burning, a special substance inside the grenade expands, knocks out the bottom, and as a result, a cloud of poisonous substance is sprayed. The area of effect is up to 400 square metres.
On contact, chloropicrin causes:
- severe inflammation of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory tract;
- profuse lacrimation;
- muscle convulsions;
- skin lesions;
- vomiting and stomach pain;
- loss of consciousness.
Symptoms appear suddenly and quickly render soldiers incapacitated, and in high concentrations, a person dies within minutes. The chemical also poisons water and food.
Chloropicrin munitions are officially considered destroyed in Russia.
