Drones and other types of unmanned vehicles are being used in the ukrainian war in every possible way, but it seems like there’s always more. Ukrainian forces have reported that the Russian military is now using drones coated with a dangerous substance that can cause chemical burns. The use of this new tactic has been confirmed by Yurii Fedorenkocommander of the ‘Achilles’ battalion of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigadein an interview reported by the Ukrainian media United24Media.
According to Fedorenko, Russia is using all available means to attack Ukraine, with the exception of nuclear weapons. This includes a recent shift away from using mined drones. to treat them with dangerous products that cause chemical burns on contacthighlighting that Russia does not comply with international standards of warfare and is using methods such as white phosphorus and toxic substances.
‘This is, in particular, a new tactic used by the enemy. Initially, the Russians changed their UAV means, now they process them with additional chemicals, the goals of which are the maximum poisoning of our military, including chemical burns‘, noted Fedorenko.
The commander’s advice regarding the risk posed by contact with the remains of a Russian drone is simple: ‘The rules at the front are simple: don’t touch anything that catches your eye’.
An image published on the OTU Kharkiv Telegram channel shows the effects of the chemical substance used in Russian drones on a person’s hand after coming into contact with one of them.
Fedorenko assures that Ukrainian forces are committed to adhering to international conventions and regulations that restrict the use of toxic agents and that Ukraine is focused on improving its capabilities with unmanned aerial systemsessential for reconnaissance and precision strikes against the enemy.
This news comes after it was reported on September 5 that Russian forces were using drones equipped with chemical munitions in the Zaporizhia region. On a day of strikes with 200 Russian drones, about 1 in 10 delivered chemical munitions, according to United24Media.