Chemical weapons: Double standard? Ukraine's alleged use ignored by West

Since the Ukraine conflict became a NATO proxy war against Russia, there have been frequent reports that the Ukrainian armed forces are planning to use chemical weapons. The Russian defence ministry has repeatedly warned that the Kyiv regime is planning a false flag operation using chemical weapons during Moscow’s ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.

Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, recently announced that the Ukrainian forces have used chemical weapons in the Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and Ugledar areas on the frontlines in Donbass, reports Sputnik, a Russian media house. Pushilin’s adviser, Yan Gagin, added that the Ukrainian side had been using chemical weapons for some time. He mentioned that substances causing nausea, choking and coughing were sprayed from special containers mounted on drones.

But what exactly are chemical weapons, and are they banned internationally? A chemical weapon is any harmful chemical that can cause death, injury, incapacitation, or sensory irritation. These chemicals can be delivered using such systems as artillery shells, rockets, or ballistic missiles. These are considered weapons of mass destruction.

Nerve Agents (sarin, soman, VX): These are considered the most deadly chemical weapons because they can severely damage the central nervous system, leading to death if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Venomous Agent X, or VX, is a highly toxic nerve agent used as a chemical weapon

Blister Agents (sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard, lewisite): These chemicals can cause severe burns and blisters on the skin

Choking Agents (phosgene, chlorine, chloropicrin): When inhaled, these agents directly affect the respiratory system, causing respiratory failure

Blood Agents (hydrogen chloride, cyanogen chloride, cyanide): These interfere with the body’s ability to use and transport oxygen through the bloodstream. Small amounts of cyanide might have no effect, but higher concentrations can cause dizziness, weakness, nausea and very strong exposure can lead to severe toxicity and rapid death

Psychotomimetic Agents (BZ): These affect mental health, causing hallucinations and other symptoms related to the disruption of higher nervous functions. BZ, or 3-Quinuclidinyl Benzilate, is a chemical compound that acts as a psychotomimetic agent

Irritant Agents (CS, CR): Also known as riot-control agents, these compounds cause temporary incapacitation by irritating the eyes (leading to tears and blepharospasm) and the upper respiratory tract. They are commonly known as tear gases. CS, or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, and CR/ dibenzoxazepine are chemical compounds used as irritant agents, commonly known as tear gases

Who was the first to use chemical weapons in warfare?

Although the German forces were the first to use phosgene on the battlefield during World War I (1914-1918), this choking agent became the main chemical weapon for the Allies. Phosgene caused 85% of chemical weapons-related deaths during WWI.

The first major use of deadly chemical weapons happened during the Second Battle of Ypres on April 22, 1915. The Germans attacked French, Canadian and Algerian troops with chlorine gas released from canisters, which the wind carried toward the Allied trenches. This attack resulted in about 5,000 deaths.

Are chemical weapons banned?

The widespread and deadly use of chemical weapons during WWI led to international efforts to ban their use and production. The two main documents addressing chemical weapons are the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

The Geneva Protocol, drafted and signed in June 1925 at the Conference for the Supervision of the International Trade in Arms and Ammunition, prohibits the use of chemical weapons. However, it does not regulate the production, research, or stockpiling of these weapons; nor does it address their use in internal conflicts. Interest in eliminating existing stockpiles of chemical weapons led to the creation of a stronger agreement—the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), in the early-1990s.

The CWC, officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, is an arms control treaty. It is managed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) based in The Hague and came into effect on April 29, 1997. The convention aims to ‘eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by banning the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer, or use of chemical weapons by member countries’.

By December 31, 2022, 99% of the world’s declared chemical weapons stockpiles had been destroyed under the CWC. Currently, 193 countries are parties to the convention. Israel has signed, but not ratified the CWC, while Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan have neither signed nor joined the agreement.

Defence against chemical weapons

On the battlefield, the first and most crucial defence against chemical weapons is personal protection, such as gas masks and protective clothing, along with collective protection shelters. For civilian populations, who usually lack personal protective equipment and shelters, the best response to a chemical weapons threat is to have well-trained emergency response teams. These teams should be able to identify chemical agents, decontaminate affected areas and people and coordinate rescue operations. 

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)