Russian Defense Minister Holds Consecutive Calls with US, UK, and French Defense Ministers: "Ukraine May Use Radioactive Weapons"

"Ukraine May Provoke Using Dirty Bomb," Claims
US: "Must Not Escalate Tensions with False Claims"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed in successive phone calls with Western defense ministers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France that Ukraine might provoke by using radioactive weapons. As the Russian military faces setbacks on key Ukrainian fronts, this indirect suggestion of the possibility of radioactive weapon use is interpreted as a move to pressure the West. The U.S. government strongly refuted the claim, stating that escalating tensions through false allegations is unacceptable.

According to TASS on the 23rd (local time), Shoigu held a phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the Ukraine issue. This was the second call within just three days, following the first call after more than five months since the outbreak of the conflict on the 21st.

While neither side disclosed specific details of the conversation, the New York Times (NYT) reported that Shoigu claimed during the call that Ukraine might provoke by using a "dirty bomb" in the conflict zone. A dirty bomb refers to a weapon that combines conventional explosives with radioactive material to cause radioactive contamination, primarily targeting civilian areas.

In a statement released after the call, Secretary Austin rebutted Shoigu’s claim, saying, "Russia is trying to create a pretext to escalate tensions, which is unacceptable." Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), also denied reports of Shoigu’s "blatantly false claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory," warning, "The world will see through any attempt to use this claim as a pretext to escalate the situation."

The Ukrainian side also strongly opposed Shoigu’s remarks. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized sharply, saying, "Ukraine is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), does not possess dirty bombs, and has no plans to acquire any. Russians often accuse others of what they themselves are planning."

Meanwhile, Shoigu held successive calls not only with Secretary Austin but also with UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, French Defense Minister S?bastien Lecornu, and Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on the same day. It is reported that Shoigu mentioned the possibility of Ukraine using dirty bombs during these calls as well.

The UK Ministry of Defense, in a statement released after Wallace’s call, said, "Secretary Wallace refuted Shoigu’s claim that the West is helping Ukraine expand the conflict," and warned, "Such claims should not be used as an excuse to escalate the conflict."

French Defense Minister Lecornu also stated, "France conveyed to Russia its desire for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine issue," adding, "Especially regarding nuclear matters, we do not want any form of escalation in tensions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.