The three NATO nuclear powers - the United States, Great Britain and France - described yesterday as "transparently false" the Russian accusation that Ukraine is preparing a "dirty" bomb against its troops. The joint statement comes after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke on Sunday with his counterparts from the three countries and with Turkey stating that Kyiv is preparing such a "provocation".
A "dirty" bomb, also called a radiological bomb, consists of a conventional explosive to which radioactive material is added to contaminate the environment of the place where it is launched.
Expanding on these accusations – which the Ukrainian government described as “absurd and dangerous” – General Igor Kirilov, head of the Russian anti-nuclear protection forces, said that the troops are being prepared for a contamination situation.
Both from Moscow and from Kyiv, it is argued that the intention is to carry out a false flag attack to accuse the other side. In this regard, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dimitro Kuleba, called the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, asking him to send an inspection mission.
"Our countries have made it clear that they reject the transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg joined the statement on behalf of the allies. According to Western analysts, in the current context of the war it would make no sense for the Ukrainian army to resort to such a resource.
At the same time, a senior US military official said that nothing indicates that Russia has decided to use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
Last week, the Russian –Shoigú– and American –Austin– Defense officials spoke twice in three days. And yesterday, the Pentagon signaled that the line of communication with Moscow remains open. Thus, Moscow announced yesterday that the chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valeri Gerasimov, spoke with his American and British counterparts about the alleged "dirty" bomb.
