Dutch and German intelligence services have gathered evidence of widespread use of banned chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine, including the dropping of a choking agent from drones, writes Reuters.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called for tougher sanctions against Moscow. «The main conclusion is that we can confirm that Russia is intensifying the use of chemical weapons», he told the agency, noting that «Russia's use of chemical weapons in this war is becoming increasingly normal, standard, and widespread». According to Brekelmans, at least three cases of Ukrainian deaths are linked to the use of chemical weapons, and over 2500 people who were injured on the battlefield reported symptoms related to chemical weapons to Ukrainian health authorities. The increase in Russia's use of chemical weapons poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to other countries, added the Dutch Defense Minister.
Head of Dutch military intelligence (MIVD) Pieter Rijsink stated that these conclusions were made based on «our own independent intelligence». Rijsink reported on «thousands of cases» of chemical weapons use and also referred to Ukrainian data on 9000 cases. The results of the intelligence activities were presented in a letter sent to the Dutch parliament on Friday.
The German foreign intelligence service also confirmed these findings.
The European Commission proposed to include 15 additional new organizations and individuals in the sanctions list, including for suspicion of using chemical weapons in Ukraine. Dutch military and intelligence services, working with foreign partners, claim to have found specific evidence of increased chemical weapons production in Russia.
According to Rijsink, this includes expanding research capabilities and recruiting scientists to develop chemical weapons. He added that Russian officials have given soldiers instructions on using toxic warfare agents.
«These are not just some improvised experiments on the front line, this is really part of a large-scale program. And this, of course, is also concerning because if we do not clarify and publicize what Russia is doing, then these trends are likely to continue», noted the head of Dutch intelligence.
He said that Dutch intelligence services in the investigation linked the use of chloropicrin with improvised munitions, such as filled light bulbs and empty bottles, which are attached to a drone.
Chloropicrin is listed as a banned choking agent by the OPCW, which was established to implement and monitor compliance with the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. It can cause severe irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. When ingested, it can cause burns in the mouth and stomach, nausea and vomiting, as well as difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
In May of last year, the US first accused Russia of using chloropicrin, a chemical compound more toxic than riot control agents, which was first used by Germany during World War I.
Ukraine reports thousands of cases of Russia's use of chemical weapons. Russia denies using illegal munitions and blames Ukraine.
Photo: Reuters