DISINFO: Western curators are involved in the creation of a "dirty bomb" by Kyiv
SUMMARY
In Ukraine, work is underway to create a "dirty" nuclear charge. We believe that this process is taking place with the participation of Western curators.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory, accusing Ukraine of creating a dirty bomb and posing a nuclear threat to Russia.
There is no evidence that Ukraine is attempting to use nuclear materials in a war against Russia.
Western leaders reject Russia's 'dirty bomb' claim and warned that such allegations can be used as a pretext for greater escalation. Ukraine asked the IAEA to "immediately send experts to peaceful facilities in Ukraine, which the Russian Federation falsely describes as sites for the development of a 'dirty bomb'." IAEA inspectors have completed in-field verification activities at three locations in Ukraine at the request of the government and found no indications of undeclared nuclear activities and materials.
Russia has not publicly offered evidence to back up the accusations and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has called the statements “lies.”
NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia over its "false" claim that Kyiv might use a "dirty bomb" - conventional explosives laced with radioactive material.
Stoltenberg tweeted that the NATO allies "reject this allegation" and "Russia must not use it as a pretext for escalation".
Pro-Kremlin sources have previously accused Ukraine of constructing a (dirty) nuclear bomb. Before the full-scale invasion on 24 February, the Kremlin-owned RIA Novosti article stated that “Kyiv is literally one step away” from creating tactical nuclear weapon. It alleged that "Russophobic authorities" in Kyiv are acquiring a dirty bomb. It was one of the reasons for invasion.
In early March, the Kremlin-owned RT alleged that, based on the evidence from the then-occupied Chornobyl nuclear power plant, Ukraine was close to building a plutonium-based "dirty bomb".
Another pro-Kremlin source claimed in May 2022 that Ukraine has stockpiled 40 tons of uranium and 30 tons of plutonium on Zaporizhzhia NPP to create a dirty nuclear bomb.
Ukraine has been a nuclear-free country since 1994 when the Budapest memorandum was signed. In 1998, Ukraine signed an Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and in 2006 a Protocol Additional to the Agreement which provides for strict control not only over the nuclear material present on the territory of the country, but for any nuclear research.
See more related cases: 2 Ukrainian firms ordered to make dirty bomb, work near completion; Work on the creation of a "dirty bomb" is coming to an end in Ukraine; UK is actively supporting Ukraine’s "dirty bomb" plan.