Germany, Netherlands accuses Russia of increasing chemical agents in Ukraine

(MENAFN) Intelligence services from Germany and the Netherlands have accused Russia of stepping up its use of chemical agents in Ukraine, warning that the escalation poses a broader threat to European and global security.

In a coordinated statement, Germany’s BND and the Dutch MIVD and AIVD intelligence agencies asserted that Moscow’s use of chemical warfare is growing, despite international laws strictly banning such weapons.

“It was already known that Russia is using teargas in Ukraine, but MIVD, AIVD and BND can now confirm that Russia is also employing chloropicrin, a more potent chemical agent that can be fatal when used in high concentrations in enclosed spaces,” the agencies stated. “This represents an even more serious violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of this chemical choking agent under any circumstances.”

The Dutch defense minister said the decision to publicly release this assessment was aimed at raising global awareness and increasing diplomatic pressure on Russia.

“Lowering the threshold for the use of this type of weapon poses a danger not only to Ukraine but also to the rest of Europe and the world. This calls for more sanctions, the isolation of Russia and undiminished military support for Ukraine,” he said.

The intelligence report suggests that both the Russian military leadership and the country’s specialized units in radiological, chemical, and biological defense are actively enabling the use of chemical substances on the battlefield.

“The use of both teargas and chloropicrin by Russian troops has now become standard practice and commonplace and will highly probably remain a threat in the future,” the statement added. The report also claims that Russia is not only investing heavily in its chemical weapons arsenal but is also expanding research in this field and recruiting new scientific personnel to bolster the program.

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