Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons detects banned gas in samples from war zone in Ukraine

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has, for the first time, detected the banned CS gas in samples of projectiles and soil from the war zone provided by Ukraine. Its presence is prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Source: statement by OPCW

Details: Samples for the study were taken after the incident on 20 September 2024 near the village of Illinka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Quote from OPCW: "The analyses by the OPCW designated laboratories, conducted separately and independently from one another, confirm that the grenade and soil samples collected from the trench contain the riot control agent 2-Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile known as CS."

Details: At the same time, the organisation stressed that the report did not seek to identify the source or origin of the toxic chemical.

This is the first time that OPCW has confirmed the use of gas intended for mass destruction in the regions of Ukraine where hostilities are taking place.

Background: 

• Russia was not elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for the first time in history.
• The US Department of State indicated in May 2024 that Russian troops had used the banned chemical substance chloropicrin against the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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