Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Defence Minister, informs the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), France, Turkey, China, and India that Russia is concerned about the possible provocations by Kyiv (Ukraine), including the use of a ‘dirty bomb’. Russia also raises the same ‘concerns,’ without presenting any evidence, at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and adds that the use of a ‘dirty bomb’ would be an act of nuclear terrorism by Ukraine.
However, the US, the UK, and France have declined the claims of Russia by calling them false allegations. The President of Ukraine has also targeted Russia and said that it (Russia) is the source of everything dirty that can be imagined in the war.
Russian Claim
Russian Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Press that Kremlin has the intelligence inputs about the preparations being done by Ukraine to use a ‘dirty bomb’. He told the reporters, “We will vigorously continue bringing our point of view to the world community to encourage them to take active steps to prevent such irresponsible behavior.”
Ukraine’s counter allegations
In response to Russia’s allegations, Ukraine has made counter-allegations against Russia by alleging that Russian forces have carried out secret construction at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control. Energoatom, the state enterprise which operates all four nuclear power plants in Ukraine, claimed that Russia’s allegations are an attempt to distract the world’s attention from its plan to use a dirty bomb.
Energaotam said that Russian forces, which are controlling Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, are not giving access either to the Ukrainian staff running the plant or to the monitors from the UN (United Nations). Further, it added that Russians are preparing a terrorist act by using the nuclear materials and radioactive waste stored at the plant.
Energaotam claimed that there are 174 containers at the plant’s fuel storage facility, which contain 24 assemblies each of spent nuclear fuel. “Destruction of these containers as a result of an explosion will lead to a radiation accident and radiation contamination of several hundred square kilometers of the adjacent territory,” Energaotam added.
India’s stand
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while speaking with his Russian counterpart, said that the differences between Russia and Ukraine should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. Rajnath Singh also told Sergei Shoigu that the use of nuclear weapons should be avoided at any cost since their use is against the basic tenets of humanity. He said, “The nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side as the prospect of the usage of nuclear or radiological weapons goes against the basic tenets of humanity.”
What is a ‘dirty bomb’?
It consists of radioactive material like Uranium. When its explosive detonates, its radioactive material scatters through the air. The difference between a nuclear bomb and a dirty bomb is that in the case of a nuclear bomb, highly refined radioactive material is required. On the other hand, a dirty bomb does not need to contain highly advanced radioactive material. Because of this difference, dirty bombs are much cheaper and early to make than nuclear bombs.
Dirty bombs are also known as weapons of mass destruction. According to the Federation of American Scientists, if a dirty bomb containing 9g of cobalt-60 and 5kg of TNT exploded at the tip of Manhattan, it would make the whole area of New York City uninhabitable for decades to come.
Until now, the dirty bomb has not been successfully used in the world.
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