The Russian Defense Ministry believes that Kiev is preparing a provocation to accuse MoscowOn October 24, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, Head of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, held a briefing on threats to radiation safety.
The foreign military attaches present at the briefing were informed about Kiev's preparation of a provocation with a "dirty bomb".
FACTS AND ARGUMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATIONGeneral Kirillov said that Russia has information about the planning by the Kiev authorities of a provocation related to the detonation of the so-called "dirty bomb", or low-power nuclear munition.
The purpose of this action is to accuse Moscow of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian theater of operations, and launch a large-scale anti-Russian campaign aimed at discrediting Russia.
The General recalled that on February 19, 2022, at the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced his intention to restore his country's nuclear status. Kirillov also noted that during the special military operation Zelensky repeatedly called on NATO countries to strike at the Russian Federation. Zelensky expressed his wishes in this way: "What should NATO do? Preemptive strikes so that they know what will happen to them if they use. And not vice versa – to wait for Russia's nuclear strikes." And on October 22, the Ukrainian president called on the West to strike at the Kremlin if Russia strikes at the "decision-making center" on Bankova Street, where the office of the president of Ukraine is located.
Kirillov recalled the likelihood of complications of the radiation situation around the Zaporozhye NPP, the largest in Europe. From February 24 to the present, the territory of the Zaporozhye NPP has been subjected to 39 fire strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU); 10 of them were carried out with the use of drones, and 29 – with the use of artillery systems.
At first, Kirillov noted, the shelling of the station did not cause concern in the West, since, according to American experts, the risk of radiation spreading when artillery shells hit spent nuclear fuel containers is insignificant, and nuclear reactors are able to withstand even a plane crash. But the forecast of the development of the radiation situation carried out by specialists of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, confirmed by relevant European scientific organizations, showed that the release of radioactive substances will spread to almost the whole of Europe.
In addition, the General stressed, the APU does not abandon attempts to seize the nuclear power plant. On September 1, 15, 30 and October 17, special forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine tried to land troops through the Kakhovka reservoir and take control of the NPP.
According to reports, two Ukrainian organizations have instructions to create a "dirty bomb". The works are at the final stage. In addition, Russia has information about contacts between the office of the President of Ukraine and representatives of the United Kingdom on the issue of obtaining nuclear weapons technology. For this purpose, Ukraine has a production base and scientific potential.
There are nuclear industry enterprises in Ukraine that have stocks of radioactive substances that can be used to create a "dirty bomb". Three operating nuclear power plants – Yuzhno-Ukrainskaya, Khmelnitskaya and Rovnenskaya – have nine pools for holding spent nuclear fuel, which contain up to 1.5 thousand tons of uranium oxide enriched to 1.5%.
At the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant there are spent fuel assemblies containing uranium-238 in the amount of more than 22 thousand pieces, as well as products related to the operation of uranium-235 and plutonium-239, which are the basis of a nuclear charge.
More than 50 thousand cubic meters of radioactive waste, which can also be used to create "dirty bombs", can be placed at the Vector radioactive waste processing plant at the Dnieper Chemical Plant, at the Buryakovka, Podlesny and Rossokha radioactive waste disposal sites.
In addition, the Vostochny Mining and Processing Plant produces uranium ore with a capacity of up to 1 thousand tons per year. The plant consists of three mines for the extraction of uranium ore. Two of them, Ingulskaya and Smolinskaya, are working, and the Novosonstantinovskaya mine is under construction.
Ukrainian President Zelensky is used to getting everything he asks from his Western partners. Photo by Reuters Ukraine has a developed scientific base for nuclear research.
It includes the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KHFTI) and the Institute for Nuclear Research (INR) at the National Academy of Sciences in Kiev. KHFTI scientists took part in the USSR nuclear program. Experimental installations, including the Uragan thermonuclear installations, are still functioning here. In the Nuclear Research Institute, research using radioactive materials is carried out at the VVR-M reactor.
Kirillov said that the "dirty bomb" is a container with radioactive isotopes and an explosive charge. When the charge is detonated, the container is destroyed, and the radioactive substance is sprayed by a shock wave, creating radioactive contamination of the terrain over large areas.
As a radioactive substance, uranium oxide can be used, which is part of the spent fuel elements located in spent nuclear fuel storage facilities and holding pools of nuclear power plants.
According to Kiev's plans, the detonation of such a munition can be disguised as an abnormal operation of a low-power Russian nuclear munition, in which highly enriched uranium is used as a charge. The presence of radioactive isotopes in the air will be detected by sensors of the International Monitoring System installed in Europe, followed by the accusation of Russia in the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
Thus, the general said, Ukraine has a motive for using a "dirty bomb", as well as scientific, technical and production potentials for its creation. As a result of the provocation with the use of a "dirty bomb", Ukraine expects to intimidate the local population, increase the flow of refugees and expose the Russian Federation as a nuclear terrorist.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has organized work to counter possible provocations from Ukraine. Igor Kirillov concluded that all forces and means are ready to perform tasks in conditions of radioactive contamination.
OPPOSITE POSITIONSThe West unequivocally denies all Russia's warnings about the preparation of a provocation by Ukraine using a "dirty bomb".
The press service of the US State Department published on its website a joint statement from Washington, Paris and London. It says:
"We, the Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom and the United States, reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression. We remain committed to continuing to support Ukraine's efforts to defend its territory for as long as necessary.
Earlier, the defense ministers of each of our countries spoke with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at his request. Our countries have made it clear that we all reject Russia's false claims that Ukraine is preparing to use a "dirty bomb" on its territory. The world will see through any attempt to use this statement as a pretext for escalation. We reject any pretexts for escalation on the part of Russia."
It is difficult to express the position of Western leaders in relation to Russia more clearly.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also spoke negatively about Russia's statement, which warned of Ukraine's intention to use a "dirty bomb". He believes that such an action could lead to an escalation of the conflict.
Following a conversation with the US and UK defense ministers, Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter: "I talked with the head of the Pentagon and the British Defense Minister about Russia's false statement that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory. The Allies reject this claim. Russia should not use this as a pretext for escalation. We remain firm in our support for Ukraine."
Against the background of reports of a provocation being prepared in Ukraine with the use of a "dirty bomb", the United Nations calls on the parties to avoid steps that could lead to miscalculation or escalation. UN Secretary General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: "We are aware of the press reports. We have no way of knowing if this is true or not. Our position on this issue and on many others is that all parties should avoid any actions that could lead to miscalculation and escalation of an already destructive conflict."
Vladimir Ivanov
Columnist of the Independent Military Review
