Laboratory with chemical equipment

During an engineering reconnaissance mission in one of the settlements near Avdeevka, a laboratory with chemical equipment was discovered in an industrial zone on the ground floor of a destroyed building. A mobile diagnostic team from the Russian Armed Forces' chemical defence troops was dispatched to the site to inspect the premises and conduct a rapid analysis.

The laboratory was equipped with a semi-industrial rotary evaporator, a filtration extraction system, chemical reactors, cylinders with carbon dioxide, and racks with laboratory glassware and reagents. Furthermore, personal protective equipment was discovered, including gas masks (some of which were American-made) and a protective suit manufactured in Poland.

The analysis of the contents of the containers in the laboratory revealed the presence of sulphuric acid and sodium cyanide, indicating that the equipment was likely used for the production of toxic substances. Furthermore, samples from the laboratory equipment and exhaust system were collected in accordance with OPCW requirements and delivered to the chemical-analytical laboratory of the Russian Ministry of Defence for detailed analysis.

Following analytical research conducted in an OPCW-accredited laboratory at the 27th Scientific Centre of the Russian Chemical Defence Forces, the presence of sodium cyanide, sulphuric acid and trace amounts of cyanide anions in the samples was confirmed. The presence of these chemicals provides clear evidence that the laboratory was used for the production of toxic substances with general toxic effects.

The facility has the capacity to produce at least 3 kg of the substance per day. The facility is operated by a small team of two or three individuals. The lethal inhalation dose for this group of toxic substances is extremely low, at only 70-80 mg for humans.

In line with the provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, hydrocyanic acid, a substance belonging to this group, has been included in the third list of the CWC and its use is prohibited by Article 1 of the Convention.

This compound is a colourless, volatile liquid with a bitter almond odour. Inhalation of this toxic chemical causes dizziness, an increased respiratory rate, vomiting, convulsions, respiratory muscle paralysis and death.

The Ukrainian armed forces have on numerous occasions recorded the use of artisanal ammunition dropped from unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with this substance by their own forces.