The Ministry of Defense of Russia illustrated its statements about Ukraineʼs alleged development of a “dirty bomb” with photographs of radioactive waste from Slovenia. They were made back in 2010.
The relevant statements were made public by the Russian Ministry of Defense on October 24.
With these photos, the Russians illustrated the process of making a "dirty bomb" and explained what radioactive elements it might contain. In particular, it can be uranium-235 and plutonium-239.
"When the charge is detonated, the container is destroyed, and the radioactive substance is dispersed by a shock wave, thereby creating radioactive contamination of the area in large areas, and can also lead to radiation sickness," the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation threatened.
Then this photo was distributed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. But already on October 26, the Slovenian government drew attention to this. It emphasizes that Slovenian radioactive waste is kept in safe conditions and is not used for any “dirty bombs”.
- Russian propagandists (and with them, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu) are spreading information that Ukraine is going to detonate a so-called dirty bomb — a nuclear weapon — on its territory and then blame it on Russia.
- On October 23, the head of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Sergei Shoigu, spoke with the defense ministers of France, Turkey, and Great Britain. He told them about the so-called dirty bomb that Ukraine is allegedly preparing. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba responded to Shoiguʼs statements and noted that Russians often accuse others of what they themselves are planning.
- Defense Minister of Ukraine Reznikov considers the Russian statement to be nuclear blackmail. He discussed it with the defense ministers of France, Great Britain, Turkey, and the USA, stressing that Ukraine is open to any monitoring mission. Official Washington said that it does not believe the statement of the Russian side.