Germany to Provide More Air Defense to Ukraine

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Building a ‘Dirty Bomb’

Russia claims Ukraine is building a “dirty bomb” to use in false flag attacks to be blamed on Moscow.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the Russian military’s radiation, chemical and biological protection forces, said Monday that Ukraine has an abundant stock of radioactive waste from its nuclear power plants and waste storage facilities, as well as the necessary expertise to build a dirty bomb.

During a news briefing, he said a dirty bomb explosion could spread deadly radiation up to 1,500 kilometers.

Kirillov said the Russian Military is prepared to operate in conditions of radioactive contamination.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the military information “has been checked via corresponding channels.”

“It’s not an unfounded suspicion, we have serious reasons to believe that such things could be planned,” he said at a news conference.

Ukrainian officials have denied these claims, saying Russia is waging these allegations to shift attention from its own plans to use a dirty bomb.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba asked the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watch dog to send experts to nuclear facilities in Ukraine where “Russia deceitfully claims to be developing a dirty bomb.”

Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi agreed, Kubleba said.

“Unlike Russia, Ukraine has always been and remains transparent,” Kuleba said. “We have nothing to hide.”

In a call with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu, the foreign ministers of the U.S., U.K. and France denied have also rejected Russia’s claims about a Ukrainian dirty bomb.

“Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory,” the NATO allies said in a joint statement. “The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation. We further reject any pretext for escalation by Russia.”