Russian Marines confirm deliberate chemical weapons use against Ukrainian Armed Forces - ISW

Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported the information.

On December 22, the 810th Separate Marine Brigade published a large post on its Telegram channel describing a "radical change in tactics" the brigade is using against Ukrainian troops in Krynky, on the eastern coast of Kherson region.

The post states that units of the 810th Separate Marine Brigade have rotated to the Krynky area and are using a new tactic of "dropping K-51 grenades from drones" on Ukrainian positions to dislodge Ukrainian forces from their positions and expose them to fire from various weapons.

The brigade also additionally published footage that apparently shows such a K-51 being dropped on a Ukrainian position, presumably in Krynky. “K-51 aerosol grenades are filled with irritant CS gas (2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile), a type of tear gas used for riot control (also known as a Riot Control Agent [RCA]),” the report says.

For reference. The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) prohibits the use of RCAs as a method of warfare, and Russia has been a state party to the CWC since 1997.

• Ukrainian analysts recorded two Russian use of chemical weapons at the Svatove and Bakhmut directions.