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Ukraine is currently investigating a claim that a poisonous substance was dropped on the city of Mariupol, although this has not been confirmed yet. So how will it be investigated, and what is the likelihood we will get to the bottom of it?

Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies will likely be the first to investigate, but there are also teams from other nations investigating allegations of war crimes in Ukraine.

The global chemical weapons watchdog, OPCW, has said it is monitoring the situation but it is unlikely it will send a team to Mariupol to investigate any time soon as the situation is too dangerous.

If a team were to investigate, they would try to build evidence based on laboratory tests of samples collected at the scene and from victims.

This could include taking soil samples and testing them for traces of possible chemical weapons, along with samples of blood and urine from victims.

Investigators would also interview witnesses, survivors, and the doctors who treated them.

The OPCW has investigated similar incidents in Syria, where its experts have confirmed the use of chemical weapons. Damascus still denies using such weapons.

Experts are not overly optimistic that we will find answers in Mariupol any time soon, though.

Marc-Michael Blum, former head of the OPCW’s laboratory and now an independent consultant, said: “Given the current situation we have Mariupol, almost impossible to really pin down, and so I have no high hopes for any kind of investigation.”