Remembering the victims of chemical warfare, we not only honor their memory, but also face the terrible consequences of human cruelty and indifference. There are many pages in the annals of history that remind us of the destructive power of chemical weapons, a tool that brings untold suffering and leaves scars not only on the body, but also in the collective memory of humanity.
The day of remembrance of all victims of chemical warfare is not only a day of mourning, it reminds the world of the need to observe international agreements aimed at the prohibition and elimination of this type of weapon. History has proven that even the most heinous crimes can go unpunished if society is not vigilant.
Chemical weapons: a deadly legacy of the past
The Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare, established in December 2015 at the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, became an important step in the global effort against one of the most brutal types of weapons of mass destruction. Adopted in 1997, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is a key international instrument that seeks to eradicate these weapons of fear and death.
The history of chemical weapons is the history of human cunning, which turned science and technical progress into instruments of mass destruction of people. The first prototypes of such weapons appeared in ancient times, when people greased arrows with poison or poisoned wells, leaving enemies without sources of drinking water. Although these early methods were primitive, even then they demonstrated a willingness to use toxic substances to gain an advantage in battle.
This practice gained special sophistication in the Middle Ages. One of the most famous examples is the use of poisonous fumes of sulphur, pitch and arsenic, which could quickly neutralize an enemy without resorting to direct contact. The most famous “chemical know-how” of that era was the so-called Greek fire – a mysterious substance that could burn even on water and which Byzantine troops used to protect their fleets.
In the 15th century, the genius Leonardo da Vinci joined the creation of chemical weapons. He proposed filling shells with a mixture of arsenic, powdered chalk, and copper salts that could poison enemies who inhaled this deadly dust. It is not known for certain whether this idea was implemented, but already in the 17th century, shells filled with poisonous belladonna were used during the siege of cities. This event brought about the world’s first treaty to ban chemical weapons. In 1675, France and the Holy Roman Empire agreed not to use “insidious” toxic projectiles. But as often happens with international agreements, the reality and brutality of wars quickly undermined them.
The 19th century became the age of chemistry, and with scientific advances came new concepts of chemical weapons. During the Crimean War in 1854, the British scientist Lyon Playfer proposed using shells filled with cyanide to poison Russian troops. His idea was rejected by the command as “shameful and treacherous”, but Playfer himself indignantly predicted that “chemistry will inevitably become part of the war”. And he was right. His prediction came true in the 20th century, when chemical weapons began to be used en masse in global conflicts.
The first mass use of chemical weapons took place during the First World War. In 1915, near the Belgian city of Ypres, German troops used chlorine gas for the first time, which, dispersing in the humid air, created a deadly cloud. It was released from balloons towards French and Canadian soldiers, ushering in an era of mass chemical weapons use that later included substances such as phosgene and mustard gas. They not only caused instant death, but also long-term suffering for those who survived: blindness, chemical burns, damage to the respiratory tract. Hundreds of thousands of people suffered from chemical weapons on the battlefields of the First World War, leaving a deep scar in military history.
However, the First World War was only the beginning. In the interwar period and during World War II, chemical weapons were used less publicly, but no less destructively. A striking example is the attacks of Japanese troops in China. Between 1937 and 1945, the Japanese army used poisonous gases such as phosgene and mustard gas during their invasion of Manchuria and other regions. Thousands of Chinese peasants and soldiers died from poisoning, while those who survived were left with horrendous mutilations.
In Europe, the horrors of chemical weapons were sometimes even more disguised. Germany during the Second World War produced huge quantities of tabun and sarin, nerve gases that were considered more effective weapons than mustard gas. Although these chemicals were not widely used on the front, their presence became a demonstration of how the technology of war was approaching total destruction. Experiments on humans constitute a separate tragic page. In concentration camps such as Auschwitz, tests were conducted using poisonous gases. Humans have been used as living material to test the effectiveness of various chemical compounds. Such experiments became not only a symbol of the horrors of war, but also a deep wound on the body of humanity.
After the end of World War II, the title of the most fearsome and destructive weapon passed to nuclear arsenals. However, this did not mean that chemical weapons disappeared from the world stage. During the Cold War, both the USSR and Western states actively increased their stocks of combat poisons, turning them into one of the key elements of military strategy. Chemical weapons were repeatedly used in many armed conflicts that shook the world in the 20th and 21st centuries. The war in Vietnam became famous due to the use of “Agent Orange”, which, although not considered a chemical weapon in the classical sense, had catastrophic consequences.
In the 1980s, in the Iran-Iraq war, chemical weapons were used regularly, which is confirmed by numerous studies and testimonies of international organizations. Iraqi forces used mustard gas and nerve agents against Iranian soldiers, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties. In April 1984, Iran’s representative at the UN, Rajan Khorassani, said that his country had the ability to produce chemical weapons and was considering options for their use. According to the US Department of Defense, Iran is believed to have used chemical warfare agents during the March 1988 offensive in the Halabji area.
The attack on the Iraqi city of Halabja in 1988 became one of the most horrific examples of genocide with the use of chemical weapons. More than 5,000 Kurds were killed as a result of the chemical attack, and tens of thousands were injured. These events left not only physical pain, but also moral trauma, which still affects the residents of the region.
In our time, the most egregious cases were the chemical attacks in Syria, where sarin and chlorine were used during the 2010s conflict. The attack in Eastern Ghouta in 2013 shocked the world: more than a thousand dead, including women and children, who could not even understand what was happening. These historical events are impressive, each of them is a testimony of horror and inhumanity.
Chemical weapons: cruel reality in the modern world
After decades of debate and failed attempts, the world finally reached an agreement in 1993 to end the use of chemical weapons. The Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, adopted under the auspices of the United Nations, became the first document that obliged not only to prohibit their use, but also to destroy all existing stockpiles. In 1997, this historic treaty entered into force, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was created to enforce it. Thanks to joint efforts at the international level, significant progress has been achieved: more than 98% of declared stockpiles of chemical weapons have been destroyed under the control of the OPCW.
However, despite these measures, the world is still in danger, and chemical weapons continue to be a tool of war. Recent years have shown that agreements and international conventions, although reducing the threat, do not guarantee its complete disappearance. This problem became especially acute during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. From February 24, 2022 to November 2024, Russian troops used chemical weapons against the Armed Forces of Ukraine more than 4,600 times. Officials testify to this data General Staff of Ukraine.
“Next to the usual means of fire damage, the enemy uses ammunition, such as K-51 and RG-VO, equipped with dangerous chemical substances, which are means of fighting riots and are prohibited for use as means of warfare. There is also a significant proportion of ammunition containing dangerous chemical compounds of an unknown type.
In October 2024, the units of radiation, chemical and biological intelligence of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recorded 323 such cases,” the General Staff said.
The systematic nature of these actions is particularly alarming, which is not only a disregard of international law, but also evidence of an open contempt for fundamental humanitarian principles. Ukraine is actively drawing the attention of the world community to these violations. At the 29th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in 2024, Ukraine joined the joint statement on behalf of 59 countries, which condemns the use of chemical means of fighting riots as a method of warfare. About November 29 reported Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. This statement draws attention to the numerous violations of the Russian Federation and calls for increased international control and support.
The evidence provided by the Ukrainian side confirms the use by Russian troops of ammunition containing toxic substances, which are categorically prohibited by the Convention. Besides, these facts were official confirmed The US State Department, which emphasized that such actions are a gross violation of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The USA said that the Russian Federation uses chlorpicrin, a substance prohibited by international agreements. It was used by Russian troops to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions. As the State Department emphasized, this approach demonstrates the desire to achieve a tactical advantage on the battlefield, disregarding all norms of humanitarian law. The US noted that this is not an isolated case: chemical weapons have become another means of warfare for the Russian army, including the use of chemicals to suppress protests.
In response to these crimes, the US State Department imposed sanctions on a number of organizations and institutions involved in the development and use of chemical weapons. Among them are the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, as well as research institutes, in particular the 48th Central Research Institute. Four Russian companies that directly or indirectly participated in the chemical weapons program were also sanctioned.
However, despite numerous credible evidence, Russian diplomats reject all accusations. They not only deny these facts, but also try to shift the responsibility for such crimes to Ukraine itself. This comes amid numerous reports documenting chemical elements in the munitions used by Russia. In response, the international community increasingly draws attention to these violations, emphasizing the need not only to record crimes, but also to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Therefore, Ukraine was not left alone in this confrontation. The States parties to the Convention have confirmed their readiness to support the strengthening of the OPCW’s capacity to provide assistance to Ukraine. The world community is increasingly aware that the struggle for compliance with the norms of international law is not only the protection of one country, it protects global security.
The use of chemical weapons in today’s world is a reminder that even the best agreements remain only on paper if they are not backed by a real willingness of the international community to act. The history that Ukraine is writing today is a call to the world: silence in response to chemical terror carries the risk of returning to the worst pages of our past. Today, when it comes to chemical weapons, we see before us a terrible historical legacy of human cruelty. The history of its creation and use is not just a factual chain, it reminds of a line that humanity must not cross again.
