New Russian drones tested and alarm bells ring as they discover what’s inside their capsules

Recent discoveries made on Ukrainian territory have raised concerns among defense experts, international organizations, and human rights groups. The cause is the detection of a banned chemical agent in capsules installed in Russian Shahed-type drones—a model of Iranian origin widely used by Russian forces in the war.

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According to the Center for Countering Disinformation of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, several of these drones were found to contain capsules filled with a highly irritating and toxic substance: 2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, better known as CS gas, one of the compounds used to manufacture tear gas.

The discovery has been described as alarming. The use of such agents in a war context is banned under the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which regulates the use of chemical and biological weapons in armed conflicts.

What is CS gas?

While it is commonly used in riot control under controlled concentrations, CS gas can become extremely dangerous in military settings. Direct exposure to high doses can cause severe eye irritation, respiratory damage, chemical burns to the skin, and in extreme cases, cardiac arrest.

Its use in military drones that crash or explode in inhabited or combat zones is not only ethically questionable but potentially lethal.

One of the greatest concerns doesn’t stem from the attack itself, but from the post-impact risk. According to InformNapalm, a Ukrainian open-source intelligence group, this new design aims to harm anyone handling the wreckage of downed drones, whether they are soldiers, technicians, or even civilians. “This type of tactic adds a second layer of danger: it’s not enough to shoot the drone down, it’s also a threat when examined,” they explained.

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For now, there is no conclusive evidence that this modification exists in all Shahed or Geran-2 drones (the name under which Russia is now producing this model under license). Nevertheless, the discovery was enough for Ukrainian authorities to issue official recommendations not to handle drone wreckage without first conducting a detailed chemical analysis.

The use of these compounds in unconventional devices aligns with concerning precedents from the Kremlin, which has previously been accused of using chemical agents such as Novichok in covert operations against political opponents and ex-agents abroad.

Though this kind of weaponry lacks the visual impact of a missile or airstrike, it represents a disturbing shift in the nature of warfare, silent, insidious, and designed for residual harm. Human rights experts and international law specialists are calling for a strong response from bodies like the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The presence of chemical weapons in drones not only alters the rules of the battlefield, but also presents serious legal and humanitarian challenges. The war in Ukraine continues to evolve, and with each new weapon innovation, the balance between technology, strategy, and ethics is being redefined.

Experts agree that if the systematic use of these chemical capsules is confirmed, this would constitute one of the most serious violations of international law since the beginning of the conflict.