The Council of the European Union has prepared a new sanctions regulation that, for the first time, formally accuses Russia of using CS gas as a method of warfare on the front lines in Ukraine.
In an explanatory memorandum seen by RFE/RL's Russian Investigative Unit Systema, EU officials refer to two reports by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), published at Ukraine's request in November 2024 and February 2025, as the basis for the move.
This proposal is part of a three-package set of sanctions the EU is expected to adopt in the coming days. The other two target cyberattacks and Russian destabilization campaigns in Europe. According to internal EU sources, a fourth package of sanctions focused on targeting Russia's shadow fleet will follow.
The reports document the alleged use of CS gas in Maryivka and Ilinka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine, during Russian attacks in 2024.
SEE ALSO: RFE/RL Finds New Evidence Of Russia's Suspected Secret Nuclear Base In BelarusThe OPCW based its reports on soil and water samples, interviews with military personnel, and photographs of hand-grenade casings marked "RG-Vo," which stands for "hand grenade -- toxic agent."
Russia's RT state television channel aired footage of Russian troops using such Russian-made grenades on the battlefield.
"In light of the seriousness of the situation, in absence of a credible explanation from Russia regarding its widely reported use of riot control agents, and to enhance the global norm against the use of chemical weapons, the European Union calls for a timely attribution of the proven use of riot control agents as a method of warfare by the OPCW," the memorandum says.
SEE ALSO: Spain Uncovers Tons Of Chemicals Destined For Russia, RFE/RL LearnsThe EU sanctions list will include the Russian Defense Ministry's Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops, and the 27th and 33rd scientific research centers involved in the development and use of chemical agents.
CS is a tear gas also known as "Lilac." It causes severe irritation to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Those coming in contact with it lose orientation and can suffocate.
Formally, CS is considered a nonlethal means of suppressing riots and is used by police in many countries. The use of such substances as weapons is prohibited by Article 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention, EU officials note.
According to Ukraine's Defense Ministry, capsules with such gas have also been found inside Iranian-made Shahed drones, which have been widely used by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine.