Russia claims Ukraine preparing false-flag 'dirty bomb’ attack: report
Russian Defence Minister Shoigu has made phone calls to several of his Western counterparts with claims that Ukraine is preparing a false-flag “dirty bomb” attack against Russia, a US think tank has reported.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.Photo: EPA/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN via PAP
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank said Shoigu separately called his counterparts from France, Turkey, Britain and the United States on Sunday, „claiming that Ukraine is preparing to conduct a false-flag attack using a dirty bomb (a conventional explosive laced with radioactive material that is not a nuclear weapon) to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction.”
The ISW added that „Russian state media amplified this false and ridiculous claim.”
Shoigu’s calls were probably intended to pressure Ukraine into concessions and intimidate NATO, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in its latest analysis of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
The think tank wrote that Shoigu’s calls „and Russian state media’s amplification of false dirty bomb threats” were „likely intended to intimidate the West into cutting or limiting support for Ukraine as Russia faces continued military setbacks and the likely loss of western Kherson by the end of the year.”
’Russians often accuse others of what they plan themselves’: Ukrainian FM
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that „Russian lies about Ukraine allegedly planning to use a ‘dirty bomb’ are as absurd as they are dangerous.”
„Firstly, Ukraine is a committed NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] member: we neither have any ‘dirty bombs’ nor plan to acquire any,” Kuleba said.
„Secondly, Russians often accuse others of what they plan themselves,” he added.
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Source: PAP, understandingwar.org
