Shoigu called defense ministers of 4 NATO countries and warned them about a 'dirty bomb' in Ukraine

On October 23, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu phoned the defense ministers of several Western countries: France, Turkey, Great Britain and the United States. With each of them, Shoigu discussed the “situation” in Ukraine, which “has a steady tendency towards further, uncontrolled escalation,” reports Meduza.

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During negotiations with representatives of France, Turkey and the UK, Shoigu expressed his "concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a" dirty bomb ", according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation did not provide any evidence to support this version. It is not clear from the Russian ministry's report on negotiations with the Pentagon whether the Russian minister raised the topic of the "dirty bomb" in the conversation.

The main danger of a “dirty bomb” comes from its explosion, which will disperse radioactive dust into the air, and the wind can carry it over a distance of several blocks to several tens of kilometers, reports Фокус.

A “dirty bomb” is the simplest version of a radiological weapon, consisting of a container containing a radioactive isotope(s) and an explosive charge. When an explosive charge is detonated, the container with isotopes is destroyed, and the radioactive substance is sprayed by a shock wave over a large area. The specific design of the bomb may vary depending on the amount and properties of the starting material. One option for a “dirty bomb” could be the deliberate detonation of a non-military facility that uses radioactive materials.

Shortly before Shoigu’s talks, RIA Novosti reported that “the Kyiv regime is preparing a provocation with a “dirty bomb” in Ukraine. The Russian state agency cited "credible sources in various countries", including in Ukraine. According to the agency, the provocation is allegedly being prepared in order to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction and "thus launching a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world aimed at undermining confidence in Moscow." From the publication of RIA Novosti it follows that the “dirty bomb” is allegedly being created in Ukraine, and Kyiv is in contact with the UK “on the issue of a possible transfer of nuclear weapons components to the Kyiv authorities.”

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Other independent sources did not confirm this information. UK Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace urged Sergei Shoigu not to use such statements as a pretext for even greater escalation. The British Ministry of Defense gave details of the conversation between the two ministers, which took place at the initiative of the Russian side.

Minister Shoigu argued that Ukraine, with the assistance of Western countries, including the UK, is planning actions aimed at escalating the conflict in Ukraine. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace denied the allegations and warned that such statements should not be used as an excuse for more escalation.

The British Ministry of Defense said in a statement that both ministers behaved "professionally and respectfully" during the conversation.

Turkish Defense Ministry, in turn, reported that during the conversation, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told Sergei Shoigu that Ankara was ready to help restore stability in the region. “The parties noted the need for forethought in the face of possible provocations that could further aggravate the situation in the region,” Anadolu writes, citing the Turkish Defense Ministry.

Foreign Ministers of the United States, Great Britain and France stated that they did not believe the words of Sergei Shoigu. This is stated in their joint statement, prepared after Shoigu's talks with the defense ministers of these countries.

“Our countries have made it clear that we all reject Russia's blatantly false claims that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own soil. The world community will not be misled by any attempt to use this accusation as a pretext for escalation. We also reject any pretext for escalation by Russia,” the statement said.

Ukrainian authorities called the "dirty bomb" reports a lie. “Russia’s lies about Ukraine’s alleged plans to use a dirty bomb are as absurd as they are dangerous,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. He noted that Ukraine supports the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). “We don’t have any ‘dirty bombs’ and we don’t plan to have them… Russians often blame others for what they themselves are planning,” Kuleba said.

Ukraine has invited experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit facilities where, as Russia claims, a so-called dirty bomb—an explosive device containing a radioactive substance—could be developed, reports Radio Liberty.

According to Dmitry Kuleba, he discussed this topic with the head of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and received his consent. “Unlike Russia, Ukraine has been and remains transparent. We have nothing to hide,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak, commenting on Shoigu’s statements, told the Ukrainian edition Liga.net that this is “absolute and completely predictable absurdity in the performance of subjects who still continue to believe that it is possible to lie brazenly - and this is someone he will believe." Podolyak also tweeted that "there is no 'dirty bomb', only dirty attempts to justify the apparent Russian genocide with a new fake."

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that only Russia can use a “dirty bomb” in Ukraine. He said this in a video message following the results of October 23.

“Where Russia comes, it leaves behind mass graves, dungeons, destroyed cities and villages, mined land, destroyed infrastructure and natural disasters. And if someone can use nuclear weapons in our part of Europe, then this is only one subject - and this subject was the one who ordered Comrade Shoigu to call somewhere there. I believe that now the world must react as harshly as possible. If Russia has prepared another raise in rates and another escalatory step, it must now, preventively and before any new “dirt” of its own, see that the world will not swallow it,” Zelensky said.

American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that there is nothing new in the statements of Sergei Shoigu. “It is unlikely that the Kremlin is preparing a provocation with the use of a “dirty bomb”. Shoigu’s statements are a continuation of a long-standing Russian information campaign,” the organization’s summary of October 23 says. The institute noted that since the beginning of the war, Russian propaganda has been using the false thesis that Western countries can help Ukraine use weapons of mass destruction.

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This is not the first accusation against Russia made against Ukraine in recent days. On October 18, the commander of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin, said that Ukraine was allegedly planning to launch a massive missile attack on the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station in the annexed part of the Kherson region. The American Institute for the Study of War admitted that Russia is probably preparing to damage the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station and blame Ukraine for what happened. After that, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that, according to the Kyiv authorities, the Russian military mined the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• After the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine Vladimir Putin, as well as many Russian officials, politicians and propagandists, regularly threaten the West with nuclear weapons. Sometimes they talk about it directly, sometimes in a veiled way. Once again, Putin discussed this topic on September 21, in his statement on partial mobilization.
• In March, a military analyst, director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, Mikhail Samus, said in an interview with Current Time that Russia is “ready to use any weapon of mass destruction in order to turn the tide of the operation.
• More than 40 countries of the world they ask Russia to leave the territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant: The station is on the brink of disaster.
• On September 16, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which consists of 35 countries, adopted resolution demanding that Russia end its occupation of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plants in Ukraine.
• And Europeans are buying in bulk medicines for radiation after the capture by the Russians of nuclear power plants in Ukraine.

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