Recent reports indicate that Russian military units have begun to modify Shahed drones to launch tear gas. The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council has reported that Russian forces have started using Shahed kamikaze drones equipped with capsules containing the chemical agent CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile).
This substance, commonly known as tear gas, is prohibited for use in war under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Geneva Protocol of 1925.
CS gas, first synthesized in 1928, is widely used by law enforcement to combat riots. However, its use in military operations, particularly against civilian populations, is a violation of international law.
There have been previous reports of Russian forces deploying CS-filled grenades from drones onto Ukrainian positions.
As previously reported by Defense Express, Russia has begun using drones to spread explosive devices on Ukrainian territory, posing a new and unpredictable threat to civilians throughout the country. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, these drones are capable of operating in any region, with the first confirmed incidents being reported in Kiev.