The European Council has prepared a new regulation to formally accuse Russia for the first time of using CS gas as a weapon of war on the frontlines in Ukraine. This move is based on reports from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), published in November 2024 and February 2025, at Ukraine’s request.
Key Highlights:
- Russia’s Use of CS Gas: The EU’s formal accusation is supported by OPCW’s findings, which document the use of CS gas in Marivka and Ilinka, located in Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine, during Russian attacks in 2024. The reports are based on soil and water samples, interviews with military personnel, and photographs of remnants of “RG-Vo” hand grenades, marking the gas as a toxic agent.
- EU Sanctions Package: This accusation is part of a three-part sanctions package that the EU is expected to approve in the coming days. Other parts of the package will target Russian cyberattacks and the destabilizing activities Russia is carrying out in Europe. The Russian Defense Ministry’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops and specific research centers involved in the development and use of chemical agents will also be sanctioned.
- CS Gas – A Chemical Weapon: CS gas, commonly known as “Lilac”, is a riot control agent that causes severe irritation to the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. It can cause disorientation and, in some cases, death. While CS gas is widely used by police forces, its use as a weapon in warfare is prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The European Union is urging the OPCW to quickly confirm the verified use of CS gas as a method of warfare, emphasizing the global norm against chemical weapons. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, CS gas capsules were also found inside Shahed drones, which are Iranian-made and widely used by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine.
