Ukraine charges Russian colonel with war crimes for banned chemical weapon attack in Donetsk

This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine.

The agency stated that the suspect is Colonel Roman Shkroba, commander of the 123rd Motorized Rifle Brigade of Russia's Southern Military District.

"According to counterintelligence and investigation by the SBU, on December 20, 2023, the suspect ordered his subordinates to use K-51 and RG-Vo gas grenades against Ukrainian defenders in Donetsk region," the statement reads.

The Security Service added that Russian troops attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses near the village of Spirne during ongoing battles by using chemical weapons. They aimed to force Ukrainian soldiers out of their defensive positions during an assault by deploying grenades with chemical agents, including tear gas.

"Based on the collected evidence, SBU investigators have charged Shkroba in absentia under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crime committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy)," the report states.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime and cannot be criminally punished until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court conviction.

• Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine also charged Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian Armed Forces' Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops, in absentia. Under his command, Russian forces used chemical munitions against Ukraine’s Defense Forces more than 4,800 times.