Russia accused of carrying out illegal chemical gas attacks on Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines of a 26-month invasion, as Zelensky again pleads with the United States to approve a major funding package to turn the tide of the war.

Russia has been accused of carrying out illegal chemical gas attacks against Ukrainian soldiers.

Several Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines of the 26-month invasion that has devastated much of Ukraine revealed that Russian troops are using small drones to drop tear gas, among other chemicals, on their positions.

Tear gas, also known as CS, is banned in times of war under the internationally signed Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia and Ukraine are signatories. Riot police around the world frequently use tear gas.

Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to the Telegraph said Russian troops were launching K-51 grenades, which experts say are typically loaded with tear gas.

Ihor, commander of a Ukrainian reconnaissance team working near the border town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, said The Telegraph: “Almost all positions in our front area had one or two gas grenades thrown at them a day.”

Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to the Telegraph said Russian troops were launching K-51 grenades (pictured), which experts say are usually accompanied by tear gas.

A commander who spoke to the Telegraph said the poor quality of armor and tools issued to Ukrainian troops has greatly aggravated the problems.

He said Russia was turning to illegal weapons because its military was having difficulty using conventional artillery or drones: “The only way they could attack us successfully was with gas.”

He said that while tear gas is not always immediately lethal or incapacitating, gas attacks can often cause panic, which can lead to mistakes being made that Russian troops can take advantage of.

According to training documents, Ukrainian troops are now told to stay where they are and endure the first few minutes of exposure to tear gas, rather than flee, which could reveal their position.

After the first few minutes, the effect of the gas decreases.

A commander who spoke to the Telegraph said the poor quality of armor and tools issued to Ukrainian troops has greatly aggravated the problems.

“We have gas masks, but in almost all cases they are very old, ex-Soviet models, and they are not very effective.”

Computer engineers of the Ukrainian military are working on adapting civilian drones for use as modified military devices on the battlefield.

Ukrainian soldiers conduct combat exercises as war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Donetsk province

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that kyiv will lose the war against Russia if the U.S. Congress does not approve military aid to combat Moscow’s invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that kyiv will lose the war against Russia if the U.S. Congress does not approve military aid to combat Moscow’s invasion.

Republicans in Congress have been blocking tens of billions of dollars in military assistance to kyiv for months.

“It is necessary to specifically tell Congress that if Congress does not help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war,” Zelensky said during a video meeting of the United24 fundraising platform, hosted in kyiv.

Zelensky said it would be “difficult” for Ukraine to survive without help.

He said that “if Ukraine loses the war, other states will be attacked.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on for more than two years.