Schemes identified Russian units that use chemical weapons against Ukrainian military personnel. VIDEO
Russian invaders are violating the laws and customs of war by using chemical weapons in Ukraine. Journalists have identified some of the Russian units that are using chemical weapons prohibited by international law against the Ukrainian Defence Forces.
This is stated in an investigation by the Schemes project (Radio Liberty), Censor.NET reports.
The journalists found that two Russian motorised infantry brigades, drone units, and the Russian Guard are armed with the latest RG-VO gas grenades and are actively using them against Ukrainian forces.
This list includes the 114th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade, which in May 2024 itself claimed to have dropped such ammunition into the shelters of Ukrainian defenders. The Russians claimed that 17 Ukrainian servicemen were allegedly killed and 35 others injured.
Investigative journalists have found that the 136th Motorised Rifle Brigade can also use chemical grenades, which are banned on the battlefield. This follows from correspondence in which Russian military personnel report on the use of RG-VO gas grenades in the spring and summer of 2025 and order additional batches.
The Kharkiv SSU Office received data on this communication on the Vovchansk and Kupiansk directions through intelligence networks.
In addition, Schemes established that the Russian Guard, a military formation directly subordinate to the Russian dictator and participating in the war against Ukraine, can also use gas grenades banned in the war. According to information from Russian tax databases, the Institute of Applied Chemistry, which produces RG-VO gas grenades, is a long-term supplier to the Rosgvardia.
In October 2023, the unit's press service published a video in which a soldier uses thermite incendiary grenades similar to chemical RG-VO grenades from the same manufacturer, the Institute of Applied Chemistry, according to Schemes.
Chemical ammunition is also supplied to the Central Military Chemical Training Area in Saratov region (military unit 42734). This was established by the SSU Main Investigation Department. Thanks to a photograph of gas grenade boxes with customs data, the SSU was able to identify them: "The Institute of Applied Chemistry sent this cargo to a training ground near Saratov at the request of the Russian Ministry of Defence.
The journalists also discovered that the Institute of Applied Chemistry receives components for these grenades from two Russian companies that are not yet under Western economic restrictions.
