Sanctions against Russia must be stepped up because of the country’s alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, Dutch caretaker defense minister Ruben Brekelmans said in a briefing to MPs on Friday.

Based on unnamed sources, Dutch intelligence services MIVD and AIVD and the German Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) said the Russian army had used illegal chemical substances in Ukraine over 9,000 times.

The chemicals used include chloropicrin, which is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)  signed by 198 countries in 1993, including Russia.

In an interview with the NRC, Brekelmans called the use of chloropicrin, which was first used in warfare by the German army during World War I, “horrifying” and “unacceptable”.

“We see that Russia is prepared to ignore all international norms,” he told the paper.

At least three Ukrainian soldiers have died after coming into contact with chloropicrin, and 2,500 needed treatment. The number of “indirect deaths” is probably higher, Brekelmans said.

Chloropicrin, dropped by drones, is used to flush out soldiers from the trenches so they become easy targets.

The Dutch accusation comes at a time when Ukraine is facing ammunition shortages due to a worldwide lack of Patriot air defense system rockets.

Production must be increased, Brekelmans said. “Last week, we announced we would be sending 100 radar systems to detect drones. (..) We will also continue to sens ammunition for the F-16s, which play an important part in Ukrainian air defense.”