SBU reported in absentia suspicion to Russian general who ordered use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian fighters

Law enforcement officers have in absentia reported Russian General Igor Kirillov, who ordered the use of chemical weapons against the Ukrainian Defense Forces, on suspicion of committing a war crime. He is the head of the radiation, chemical, and biological protection troops of the Russian Armed Forces.

This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

The investigation says that this official is responsible for the mass use of banned chemical weapons by the Russians against the Defense Forces on the eastern and southern fronts of Ukraine.

On Kirillovʼs orders, the enemy used chemical munitions 4 800 times—these are the recorded cases since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

These are K-1 combat grenades, which contain toxic irritants – CS and CN. The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction prohibits the use of these grenades.

Russian troops mainly use ammunition with toxic substances in the form of discharges from FPV drones. When a grenade with a chemical charge is fired, toxic compounds affect human mucous membranes, primarily the eyes and respiratory tract.

This is how the Russians want Ukrainian fighters to come out of the trenches under direct fire.

During the investigation, it was found that in most cases the Russians use dangerous chemicals in the hottest areas of combat, where they try to hide the use of chemical agents behind dense artillery fire.

During the full-scale invasion, more than two thousand Ukrainian soldiers suffered chemical poisoning of varying degrees.

The Security Service of Ukraine identified Russian grenades with toxic substances and corresponding soil samples on the battlefield. They were transferred to the international Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Two laboratories of this institution, operating separately from each other, confirmed the relevant war crimes of Russia.

• For the second year in a row, Russia was not included in the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for 2025-2027.
• The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the executive body of the Chemical Weapons Convention. It entered into force in 1997. The OPCW monitors whether countries comply with the ban on the use of chemical weapons, the elimination of their stockpiles and non-proliferation, and promotes cooperation in the field of peaceful chemistry. It has over 190 member states, and the Executive Board consists of 41 countries, which are elected by the Conference of States Parties and change every two years. The principle of equitable geographical distribution, the importance of the chemical industry, political interests and security interests are taken into account for the election.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.