The United States has no signs that Russia has planned to use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, which includes a so-called “dirty bomb”, a senior army official said on Monday.
Moscow has, again and again, alerted in last few days that Ukraine could employ a dirty bomb, which spreads nuclear, chemical or biological material via conventional explosives, igniting fears that Moscow could use such a device and accuse Kyiv.
On the condition of anonymity, the military official said that, “The Ukraine is not building a dirty bomb, nor do we have signs that the Russia has made a decision to employ nuclear, chemical, biological weapons.”
Asked if that assessment which includes dirty bombs, the official replied, “Yes.”
The Defense Minister of Russia, Sergei Shoigu has had a series of latest phone calls with counterparts from several NATO nations in which he said Kyiv was planning to use a dirty bomb.
On Monday, the defense ministry of Russia said army chief Valery Gerasimov made the same allegation in a conversation with US General Mark Milley.
The ministry added in a statement that, “During the conversations, the situation related to the possible usage of a ‘dirty bomb’ by Ukraine was continued.”
The United States army also confirmed the call, stating the two talked about “several security-related issues of concern and agreed to keep the lines of communication open.”
The US, Britain as well as France on Sunday jointly dismissed Russia’s dirty bomb claims, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rejected the accusations as well.
“If Russia calls and says that Ukraine is allegedly preparing something, it means one thing: Russia has already prepared all this,” Zelensky said in a video address.
Russia has suffered a series of military defeats in southern and eastern Ukraine, with observers of the conflict and Kyiv saying the Kremlin was becoming increasingly desperate.