Three questions about chemical warfare

Reports that Russian forces used chemical weapons in the besieged city of Mariupol were spread on Monday.

Both Britain and Australia are investigating the allegations.

Chemical weapons are weapons of mass destruction

International war laws prohibit all use of chemicals in war if the chemical is used based on its toxic effects.

That convention has been signed by 193 countries around the world, including Russia.

This is pointed out by the expert Rikard Norlin from the Swedish Defense Research Agency.

- A chemical weapon is one that kills or injures people through its toxic effect, unlike a conventional weapon that kills by explosive power or via projectiles.

He believes that chemical weapons can be used in everything from small-scale variants where you attack individuals, to larger types of weapons where you can use artillery grenades.

- Chemical weapons are counted as weapons of mass destruction.

If you deploy them on a large scale, it will cause enormous devastation and it will indiscriminately affect both civilians and the military.