CBRNE event in Georgia on Mon 1st December 2025

🇬🇪 Georgian security forces may have used World War I-era chemical weapons during the dispersal of protests in Tbilisi. The substance in question is "camite" - a toxic powder that causes severe burning, respiratory problems, and can remain on surfaces for several days. Camite was deployed by France against Germany during World War I. There is little documentation of its subsequent use, but it is believed to have been taken out of circulation at some point in the 1930s, because of concerns about its long-lasting effects. Experts interviewed by the BBC noted that such a chemical could be classified as a chemical weapon. Protesters reported that water jets "burned the skin," with effects such as coughing, shortness of breath, and vomiting lasting for weeks. Medical personnel recorded complications in some victims, including heart function disorders. A former special forces commander confirmed that a similar chemical had been previously tested and is significantly stronger than standard tear gas. The BBC also obtained an inventory list of chemicals at a special forces warehouse, including one labeled UN3439, which matches the code under which "camite" was supplied. Pro-Russian authorities in Georgia deny the allegations, calling the investigation "absurd." 📰 BBC