Russia has accused Ukraine of producing a "dirty bomb" and conspiring with both the United Kingdom and United Nations against the Russian Federation to use the weapon as part of a false flag attack, according to Russian state media on Sunday.
The government-based information cited "credible sources in various countries, including in Ukraine" that Ukraine was preparing something detrimental to Russia's overall well-being. They did not cite specific sources. They made the accusation that Kyiv was preparing low-yield nuclear weapons to use against Russian forces on its territory.
Officials claimed that "the purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian theater of operations, and thereby launch a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world aimed at undermining confidence in Moscow."
Russian officials also stated that they believe weaponry has been developed between Ukraine and "the leadership of Western curators." Officials went on to claim that the Eastern Mining and Processing Plant in Zhovti Vodi alongside the Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research were tasked with the "very dirty bomb, which is already at its final stage in development."
A participant carries a flag with the ''Z'' symbol in support of the Russian armed forces involved in a conflict in Ukraine, during the Immortal Regiment march on Victory Day, which marks the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Saint Petersburg, Russia May 9, 2022. (credit: ANTON VAGANOV/ REUTERS)Ukrainian officials denied the allegations, and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba invited monitors from the IAEA to visit Ukraine to confirm that the Russian claims lacked validity.
"Unlike Russia, Ukraine has always been and remains transparent," said Kuleba. "We have nothing to hide.""The thought of a 'dirty bomb' is repulsive to us," said Defense Minister Olekseii Rezinkov.
Russia vs. the World
The press release boldly stated the following: "The calculation of the organizers of the provocation is that if it is successfully implemented, most countries will react extremely harshly to the 'nuclear incident' in Ukraine. As a result, Moscow will lose the support of many of its key partners, and the West will again try to raise the issue of depriving Russia of the status of a permanent member of the UN Security Council and increase anti-Russian rhetoric."
This continues Russian dialogue with its own allies that other nations are conspiring against them since the beginning the war with Ukraine, which the world superpower still refers to as a "special operation."
Past Russian claims about a nuclear Ukraine
This is not the first time that Russia has accused Ukraine of preparing a dirty bomb or other weapons of mass destruction.
In March, Russian media cited an unnamed source as saying that Ukraine was close to building a plutonium-based "dirty bomb" nuclear weapon.
Shortly before the invasion in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a grievance-filled speech that Ukraine was using Soviet knowledge to create its own nuclear weapons, and that this was tantamount to preparation for an attack on Russia.Reuters contributed to this report.
