The Russian government said on Monday that “no one will be fooled” if Moscow escalates the conflict in Ukraine, saying Kyiv has used a “dirty bomb” that Paris, London and Washington have referred to.
• Read more: A lawyer says it’s “impossible” to prove your innocence in Russia
• Read more: A refugee in Quebec, a Ukrainian doctor turned joint roller
In a joint statement, the three foreign ministers “reject Russia’s patently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory.” No one would be fooled if they tried to use this accusation as an excuse.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke to his American, French, British and Turkish counterparts about the conflict in Ukraine on Sunday in phone conversations with several of his counterparts.
During the exchanges, an unprecedented one-day intensity for Mr Shoigu since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 24, he told most of his interlocutors his “concerns regarding possible provocations on the part of Ukraine”. dirty bomb”, according to his ministry.
Ukrainians and Westerners see this as a threat of preparations for a false flag attack, suspecting that Russia is ready to detonate a “dirty bomb” to justify a military escalation, for example by using nuclear retaliatory tactics.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna also tweeted that she “spoke to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister last night about Russia’s blatantly false accusations.”
“We are committed to continuing our support for Ukraine’s efforts to secure its territory as long as necessary,” the three capitals added in their joint statement.
Russia says Ukraine has entered ‘final stage’ of developing its ‘dirty bomb’
Russia on Monday said Ukraine had entered the “final stage” of its “dirty bomb” development, a threat Moscow has been threatening since Sunday, a claim strongly denied by Kiev and its Western allies.
“According to the information we have, two Ukrainian organizations have specific instructions for producing the so-called ‘dirty bomb.’ Their work has reached its final stage,” Lt. Gen. Igor Kirilov, the Russian military’s radiological, chemical and biological materials officer, said in a statement.
According to him, “the purpose of this provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, and thus to conduct a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world”, he accused, especially believing that Kiev “terrorizes the local population”. The population and the flow of refugees across Europe are increasing.
“The explosion of a radioactive explosive device inevitably contaminates an area of several thousand square meters,” he warned.
Mr. Kryllov also accused the United Kingdom of maintaining “contacts” with Kyiv on the question of Ukraine’s possible acquisition of (necessary) technologies for the production of nuclear weapons.
Moscow’s accusations against Kyiv that Ukraine intends to use a “dirty bomb” are “false”, Paris, London and Washington condemned in a joint statement on Monday.
Ukrainian diplomatic chief Dmytro Kuleba noted that he had an exchange on the matter with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grosi, and “officially invited the IAEA to urgently send experts on peaceful installations in Ukraine.” , these structures Russia “falsely claims” that Ukraine is building a “dirty bomb” there.
Mr. Grossi “agreed. Unlike Russia, Ukraine has always been transparent. We have nothing to hide,” he said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday evening demanded a “hardest possible” response from his Western allies.
On Sunday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told his American, French, British and Turkish counterparts about his concerns about possible provocations from Ukraine with a “dirty bomb”.
Ukrainians and Westerners see this as a threat of preparations for a false flag attack, suspecting that Russia is ready to detonate a “dirty bomb” to justify military escalation, for example by using a tactical nuclear weapon in retaliation.
A radioactive bomb or “dirty bomb” consists of conventional explosives surrounded by radioactive material that disperses as dust upon detonation.
