Russia is intensifying its use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces, according to a joint report released on July 4 by the Netherlands Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) and the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD).
The intelligence report confirms that Russian troops have shifted from using traditional tear gas to deploying chloropicrin, a chemical agent banned under international law and historically used as a vomiting agent in World War I. Chloropicrin can be lethal in high concentrations, especially in enclosed or confined spaces like trenches and bunkers, News.Az reports, citing Kyiv Independent.
The use of such substances is reportedly aimed at psychological warfare, driving Ukrainian soldiers out of defensive positions with gas grenades dropped by drones, leaving them exposed to follow-up drone or artillery strikes.
The findings were made in collaboration with Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND). MIVD Director Vice Admiral Peter Reesink noted that Russia is now using these banned agents “with ease” and on a growing scale.
The U.S. State Department had already reported the use of chloropicrin by Russian forces in May, as part of an announcement introducing new sanctions against over 280 individuals and entities. However, the original statement has since been removed from the department’s website.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, who disclosed the report to parliament, called the revelations “absolutely unacceptable” and urged for stronger sanctions, diplomatic isolation of Russia, and unwavering military support for Ukraine.
“We are making this public now because Russia's use of chemical weapons must not become normalized,” Brekelmans said. “If the threshold for using such weapons is lowered, it’s not just a danger for Ukraine but for all of Europe, and the world.”
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, over 9,000 chemical attacks have been documented, with at least three Ukrainian soldiers confirmed dead due to direct exposure to toxic agents.
Ukrainian authorities have struggled to precisely identify the chemicals used due to a lack of specialized detection equipment, making international intelligence crucial in tracking and confirming these violations.
The Dutch agencies also warned that Russia’s military leadership is actively supporting chemical weapons use, with growing investments in related programs, expanded research, and recruitment of new scientists.
