West’s reaction to ‘dirty bomb’ claims ‘unacceptable’ – Kremlin

The West is wrong to ignore Russia’s warning that Ukraine plans to detonate a so-called dirty bomb, a conventional munition with radioactive elements, the Kremlin has said.

Russia has been insisting that Kiev wants to use a weapon of mass destruction to frame Moscow. However, the US and other Western countries have dismissed the claim. 

“This attitude, far from being serious, is unacceptable given the seriousness of the danger that we are talking about,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. 

“Once again, we are emphasizing the grave danger that stems from the implementation of the plans the Ukrainians have,” he said. 

Russia has requested to convene the UN Security Council to discuss Kiev’s alleged plans. Moscow previously briefed the council members and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the matter.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu relayed Moscow’s concerns to his British, French, and Turkish counterparts on Sunday, and also spoke over the phone to US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin. The next day, Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s top general, raised the issue during phone calls with US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and with his British counterpart, Admiral Tony Radakin. 

Ukraine has rejected the allegation, with Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba saying that Russia’s claims “are as absurd, as they are dangerous.” The minister insisted that Ukraine does not have such a bomb, nor does it intend to make one. 

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin dismissed Russia’s allegations against Ukraine again on Monday, saying that they are “false.”