More than 13,000 cases of dangerous chemical substances being used have been recorded since the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against the Defense Forces of Ukraine. In March 2026 alone, about 400 such cases were recorded, UNN reports with reference to the communications department of the Support Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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As reported by the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian troops systematically use dangerous chemical substances with an irritating effect along with traditional means of fire damage. In March 2026 alone, about 400 such cases were recorded.
The enemy uses K-51 and RG-Vo type gas grenades, as well as improvised containers equipped with CS and CN substances. The main method of delivery is drops from unmanned aerial vehicles. Most often, such means are used against the positions of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in order to force personnel to leave shelters and gain a tactical advantage in the directions of concentration of main efforts.
Units of radiation, chemical, and biological protection of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine record the use of dangerous chemical substances, and selected samples are submitted for forensic examinations. The highest intensity of use was recorded in April 2025 - 894 cases.
According to the Chemical Weapons Convention, the use of such substances as a means of warfare is prohibited. CS and CN substances can be used by law enforcement agencies in peacetime exclusively for riot control under strict restrictions, but their use in combat conditions is illegal.
Despite the fact that these substances are not lethal chemical warfare agents, they pose a danger: they cause severe irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, lacrimation, coughing, suffocation, 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, the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine added.
Analysis of the dynamics indicates an increase in the intensity of the use of such substances in the spring-summer period. In 2024, the peak occurred in May and June (more than 700 and 600 cases, respectively), in 2025 - in May and June (more than 800 and 700). Given this trend, a further increase in the number of such attacks is predicted. In this regard, military personnel should by no means neglect personal protective equipment, primarily gas masks for respiratory protection.