Western powers say Russia is plotting to use the threat of dirty bombs laced with nuclear material as a pretext for escalation in Ukraine as it evacuates civilians from southern cities in anticipation of major fighting. blaming.
As Ukrainian forces march into the Russian-occupied Kherson province, Russian officials called their Western counterparts on Sunday and Monday, accusing Moscow of suspecting Kyiv was planning to use a so-called dirty bomb. I told him that
In a joint statement on Monday, the French, British and US foreign ministers said they had rejected all allegations and reaffirmed Ukraine’s support for Russia.
“Both sides have made it clear that they reject Russia’s blatantly false claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on their territory.”The world should use this claim as an excuse for escalation. It will see through attempts to
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a phone call to the West on Sunday. Britain’s Defense Ministry Chief of Staff Tony Ladakin again denied Russia’s allegations in a phone call on Monday with Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s RIA news agency reported that on Monday, eight months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Gerasimov also spoke with US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the purpose of Ukraine’s dirty bomb attack would be to blame Russia for the resulting radioactive contamination.
“The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian military theater, thereby launching a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world,” he said, adding that it prepared its forces. Working in conditions of radioactive contamination.
Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from Kyiv, said the Russian dirty bomb accusation was described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “an attempt by Russia to escalate rhetoric and grounds for some kind of false flag attack.” There is a possibility that it will become,” he said.
“[Zelenskyy] Said these claims from Russia are absurd and dangerous … Ukraine is a member of the non-proliferation treaty and does not have such nuclear capabilities or ambitions and Russia makes these kinds of claims When it does, it means that it’s planning something along those lines,” Fawcett said.
Evacuation of Kherson
Russia has ordered civilians to evacuate territory it controls on the west bank of the Dnipro River, where Ukrainian forces have been advancing since the beginning of the month, shortly after Moscow claimed to have annexed the area.
Russia’s defeat would be one of Moscow’s biggest setbacks to date.
The provincial capital of Kherson is the only major Russian city to be occupied unscathed since the February 24th invasion, and the only stronghold on the west bank of the Dnipro River that bisects Ukraine. The province controls the gateway to Crimea, which Russia claimed to have seized and annexed in 2014.
Russian-installed authorities in Kherson said on Monday that the remaining men had the option of joining the military’s self-defense forces. Kyiv has accused Russia of forcibly enlisting men in its occupied territories as a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
Ukraine’s head of military intelligence Kirilo Budanov said Russian troops were preparing to defend the city of Kherson and had no intention of withdrawing.
“They are creating the illusion that everything is lost. But at the same time they are preparing to move new troops and defend the streets of Kherson,” he told Ukrainian Pravda’s online media outlet. Told.
The Ukrainian military chief of staff said on Facebook that Russian forces had launched three missile attacks and seven airstrikes across Ukraine the day before, hitting infrastructure in hotly contested regions of eastern Donetsk and Kharkov. said to have caused damage. Northeast liberated from Russian occupation last month.
About 10 towns in the Zaporizhia region of central Ukraine were attacked, as were eight towns on the Southern Front.
Meanwhile, Kyiv on Monday accused Russia of deliberately delaying the arrival of more than 165 cargo ships from Turkey bound for Ukrainian ports to load grain.
Russian inspectors are “significantly extending the inspection of ships. … As a result, more than 165 ships are queuing near the Bosphorus, and this number continues to grow every day,” said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. the ministry said.
“There is reason to believe that the delay in Russian inspections of Grain Initiative vessels was politically motivated,” he added.
