OPCZ did not see evidence of the use of chemical weapons in the war in Ukraine

The organization called the data on the possible use of chemical weapons in Ukraine “insufficiently substantiated.”

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stated that information about the possible use of toxic substances in Ukraine is not sufficiently substantiated, at the same time, “the situation remains alarming,” according to the OPCW commentary dated May 7.

The Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been monitoring the situation in Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022 due to allegations of the use of toxic chemicals as weapons.

“Both the Russian Federation and Ukraine have accused each other and have reported to the Organization the possible use of chemical weapons. All official correspondence between States Parties regarding such allegations and accusations has been posted on the OSHC public website and is regularly updated. Information provided to the Organization by both parties up to this time and the information available to the Secretariat is not sufficiently substantiated,” the statement said.

At the same time, the OSCP assured that the situation remains unstable and extremely alarming regarding the possible resumption of the use of toxic chemicals as weapons.

The organization adds that all declared stockpiles of chemical weapons in the world were destroyed in July 2023 under its control, but this “does not mean that chemical weapons no longer exist.”

“For any activities related with allegations of the use of toxic chemicals as weapons, the OPC Secretariat would need to formally receive a request for such activities from participating States. Currently, the Secretariat has not received any such request for action,” they say.