Russian forces deploy more chemical weapons in Tavria front — Ukrainian forces
The Russians have increased the frequency of attacks employing chemical weapons on the Tavria front, reported commander of the Tavria operational-strategic group, Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi on Telegram on Feb. 9.
Russia carried out six attacks uing the chemical agent chloropicrin, a choking and tear gas, over the past day, using drones. K-51 grenades were likely used, Tarnavskyi said.
Although about a dozen Russian attempts to attack with poisonous substances were recorded over the week, Ukrainian soldiers continued to hold their defenses steadily.
Total losses for Russia in the Tavria sector over the past day amounted to 417 soldiers and 35 units of weapons and military equipment, excluding drones, he said.
Twelve armored fighting vehicles, eleven artillery systems, eight cars, and three units of special equipment were destroyed.
The Defense Forces also destroyed two enemy ammunition depots, while 224 drones of various types were neutralized or destroyed during the day, Tarnavskyi said.
Read also: Russia uses chemical weapons 465 times in war against Ukraine, according to military agency
The Russians have also significantly increased the use of kamikaze drones — 114 strikes were recorded over the past day. This marks the highest number since the beginning of February, he said.
The Russian army has reportedly escalated its use of chemical weapons against Ukraine, with the first recorded use of the RG-Vo grenade, containing phenacyl chloride, a substance banned by the Geneva Protocol, in December. If such a grenade hits a room or bunker, it only takes five minutes to kill people inside.
Despite the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announcing in July 2023 that the last munition from the stockpiles declared by all States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention had been destroyed, there have been 626 recorded Russian attacks using chemicals as of January 2024 since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. Until December 2023, the invaders used K-51 and RGR irritant grenades.
The Chemical Weapons Convention, signed on Jan. 13, 1993, is an international treaty within the UN framework on arms control. It aims to completely ban the production and use of chemical weapons due to their harmfulness to the environment and human health, and it defines the obligations of the States Parties in this field. Almost all countries in the world have joined the Convention, with 190 out of 196 UN member states as participants. It entered into force on April 29, 1997.
The U.S. and other signatories were required to destroy their stockpiles of chemical weapons by Sep. 30, 2023, according to the convention.
Russia claimed to have "destroyed" all of its stockpiles of chemical weapons on Sep. 27, 2017.
Read also: UA Forces down Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopter in Tavria sector
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