This information ecosystem includes: Russian bots, trolls, state-run media commentators, and official government accounts using multiple social media platforms to amplify and proliferate their misleading messages.

Russia also relies on its official platforms on the world stage to spread its falsehoods, including through its embassies around the world, statements from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and its representatives at forums like meetings at the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which they regularly use for political theater.

IMPLICATIONS OF RUSSIAN MANIPULATED INFORMATION ABOUT CHEMICAL WEAPONS

Russia's manipulation of the information environment in support of chemical weapon violations by itself and its allies, and repeated false claims of Ukraine use and development of chemical weapons, undermines the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the universally held norm against their use.

The world agrees...

The universality of the treaty underlies the value of the international norm against Chemical Weapons and a global commitment to achieve a world free of chemical weapons and free of the threat of their use.

Despite the near universal norm, there have been violations

“Russia has used chemical weapons at least twice in recent years in assassination attempts using Novichok nerve agents – also known as fourth generation agents (FGAs)—in 2018 and 2020. Russia retains an undeclared chemical weapons program… Russia also used RCAs [riot control agents] as a method of warfare in Ukraine, in violation of its CWC obligations.”

“The United States continues to have serious concerns regarding Russia’s assistance to Syria regarding the regime’s use of chlorine as a chemical weapon in Douma in April 2018. Furthermore, the United States has concerns that Russia’s PBA [pharmaceutical based agents] program is for oensive purposes. In addition to its use of RCAs, the United States also has concerns about reports that Russia has used other chemical agents against Ukrainian armed forces.”

Accountability

Obstructionism and undermining of the Chemical Weapons Convention has been met with responses and consequences by the OPCW and its member states.

In October 2013, Syria ocially joined the Chemical Weapons Convention. As a member, Syria is required to destroy all chemical weapons stockpiles and not use chemical weapons. The OPCW continues to work with Syria to meet their treaty obligations.

In November 2019, CWC States Parties agree to add Novichok to the Schedule 1 list of banned chemical warfare agents.

In November 2023, Russia was voted off the OPCW Executive Council. The Executive Council consists of 41 Member States responsible for promoting the effective implementation of and compliance with the Convention.

It is a shared responsibility of all 198 countries to protect the norm against chemical weapons. Countries must be held accountable if and when the norm is violated to achieve the OPCW’s vision of a world free of chemical weapons and the threat of their use.

The current environment is fraught and contested.

WHY IS THIS A THREAT?

Manipulated narratives denying chemical weapons use as well as false accusations of use undermine the valuable norm against chemical weapons. When lies about chemical weapons pervade, it allows the state actors controlling the information environment to feel they can act with impunity, including potentially using these dangerous and banned weapons.

LAYERED TOGETHER: RESISTANCE

There is no silver bullet solution to disinformation—but layering multiple defenses can make it more difficult for disinformation to be circulated, and when it is viewed, for people to critically evaluate and disregard it so it does not take hold.  

Layering these and other defenses leads to resilience to a range of disinformation topics, including false narratives about chemical weapons. Having the information advantage can help strengthen the norms against chemical weapons and lead to a world free of chemical weapons and the threat of their use.

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS 

Partnerships can help CWC Member States share best practices and develop tools and strategies to be resilient to future disinformation campaigns about chemical weapons. CWC Member States are stronger when working together. Having these relationships in place builds confidence and trust and facilitates the sharing of information.

​DEVELOPING STRONG STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS 

To gain the information advantage and fill the information environment with factual information about chemical weapons and the global commitment to its elimination and nonuse, it is important to preemptively share factual information about compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, so false accusations of violations are less effective. Especially when developing strategic messages about complicated technical topics like chemical weapons it is important to communicate clearly and accessibly, including on social media. 

THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS 

Disinformation is going to spread faster and be more complicated with new artificial intelligence-enabled technologies like machine learning and deepfakes. Investing in technologies to identify deepfakes and information networks where disinformation spreads can help alert and call out bad actors sharing manipulated information and get ahead of false narratives about chemical weapons. 

INVESTING IN EDUCATION 

Education is among the most important defenses to disinformation. Media literacy provides the tools to identify good sources of information and spot manipulated content. It is also important to educate the public on the role of arms control, and the value of the norm against chemical weapons. 

THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS 

Disinformation is going to spread faster and be more complicated with new artificial intelligence-enabled technologies like machine learning and deepfakes. Investing in technologies to identify deepfakes and information networks where disinformation spreads can help alert and call out bad actors sharing manipulated information and get ahead of false narratives about chemical weapons.

Layering these and other defenses leads to resilience to a range of disinformation topics, including false narratives about chemical weapons. Having the information advantage can help strengthen the norms against chemical weapons and lead to a world free of chemical weapons and the threat of their use.