Russia is increasingly using grenades with poisonous gases that can kill a person in 5 minutes. This was stated by Andriy Rudyk, a representative of the Center for Research of Trophy and Prospective Weapons and Military Equipment, during a briefing at the Military Media Center.

In December, 81 such cases were recorded, and a total of 626 cases of chemical attacks have been recorded since the beginning of the invasion.

"In December, the use of an RG-VO grenade was recorded for the first time. This grenade contains chloroacetophenone, an asphyxiating substance prohibited by the Geneva Protocol on the Use of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases in War," said Rudyk.

According to him, if it gets into a room or a dugout, five minutes is enough to kill people there. The found sample was manufactured in 2023 at a plant that has been operating since the Soviet era. 

"We do not rule out that Russia may further resort to the use of combat toxic agents directly prohibited by the 1993 Convention," Rudyk said.

He added that in 2017 Russia announced the complete elimination of its chemical weapons stockpiles. The Center believes that Moscow could have cheated and is now trying to study the reaction of the international community in order to expand the range of chemical weapons use.