that the russians have been using that they saw work so successfully in syria. and they have had trouble taking mariupol. we also know that the ministry of defence in the uk suggested yesterday that they might use white phosphorus, not a chemical weapon but it has similar attributes. it will be a challenge, for sure. you talk about syria, going back in time russian has been part of the opcw, the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons along with the un joint investigative mechanism, are they still part of that? absolutely, tthe russians are part of it, and in 2017 they declared they had no chemical weapons, but they attacked my hometown, salisbury, with chemical weapons just a year later. in effect the ukrainian government could request the organisation of the prohibition of chemical weapons to investigate
hamish de bretton gordon is a chemical and biological weapons expert. he told my colleague lukwesa burak that proving claims of chemical weapon use in ukraine could be challenging. it will be a challenge to get that evidence. obviously there is a lot on social media and the defence minister has also commented. i am talking to a number of doctors, not in mariupol but in surrounding areas, who are looking at this too. it will be a challenge. they will need to get some environmental, earth type samples and medical samples to confirm the allegations that some sort of nerve agent or toxic chemical has been used. it is rather out of the playbook that the russians have been using that they saw work so successfully in syria. and they have had trouble taking mariupol. we also know that the ministry of defence in the uk suggested yesterday that they might use white phosphorus, not a chemical weapon but it has similar attributes. it will be a challenge, for sure.