Russian forces use munitions with toxic agents on Tavria front – Ukrainian Armed Forces
RG-Vo and RGP K-51 grenades (Photo by Military Media Center)

On the Tavria front, the Russian army used munitions containing toxic substances five times on January 29, likely K-51 irritant hand grenades, as reported by Oleksandr Shtupun, spokesperson for the joint press center of the Tavria Defense Forces, during a telethon.

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Shtupun stated that the grenades used by enemy forces in the past day were likely K-51 grenades with chloropicrin inside.

"Each such case is investigated separately, appropriate analyses are conducted, and then this information is submitted to international institutions," Shtupun said, adding that Ukrainian military personnel are using gas masks for protection against chloropicrin.

REFERENCE
Chloropicrin, also known as nitrochloroform, is highly irritating to the lungs, eyes, and skin in high concentrations. Although not as dangerous as other chemical weapons, chloropicrin can cause vomiting, dizziness, severe irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, respiratory tract, convulsions, unconsciousness, and skin damage. These symptoms occur suddenly, and in high concentrations, exposure can be fatal within minutes. Today, the use of chloropicrin for military purposes is prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention, along with phosgene, cyanogen chloride, and hydrogen cyanide.

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warArmed Forces of UkraineRussian armyOleksandr Shtupunchemical weaponchemical attackK-51Tavria directionchloropicrin