[Why&Next] 'Dirty Bomb,' the Nuclear Weapon of the Poor, Why Does Russia Keep Raising Suspicions?

Russia suspected of false flag operation... Nuclear war drills notified to US
Biden strongly warns "Serious mistake if tactical nuclear weapons are used"

Unexploded ordnance of the Russian military discovered on the 21st (local time) in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine. It is presumed to have been loaded inside a multiple rocket launcher and failed to detonate upon firing. If radioactive isotopes such as Cesium-137 are placed in a bomb of this scale, it would complete what Russia has alleged Ukraine to be producing: a "Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD)," commonly known as a "Dirty Bomb." Kharkiv (Ukraine) = Reuters·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russia is pressuring the West by repeatedly raising the possibility of Ukraine using a "Dirty Bomb." Western intelligence agencies, led by the United States, suspect that Russia is planning a "False Flag" operation to create a pretext for using nuclear weapons on the Ukrainian front.

In fact, Russia notified the U.S. of plans to conduct a large-scale nuclear war exercise called "Grom (Thunder)." President Joe Biden warned that any use of tactical nuclear weapons would be a serious mistake.

◆The Poor Man's Nuclear Weapon 'Dirty Bomb': What Is Its Actual Power?

[Image source=AFP·Yonhap News]

A Dirty Bomb, which mounts radioactive isotopes on a small conventional bomb, is analyzed to have radiation exposure levels that are unlikely to exceed those received during an X-ray examination due to the nature of the weapon.

On the 25th (local time), CNN cited data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reporting that while a Dirty Bomb can cause radiation exposure damage, it does not possess the terrifying lethality of a nuclear weapon. CNN pointed out, "Even if a Dirty Bomb explosion contaminates a wide area with radiation, the exposure level per person would be similar to that of a dental X-ray."

According to DHS, the official name of a Dirty Bomb is a "Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD)," a weapon that mounts radioactive isotopes on a small high-explosive bomb and disperses radioactive materials within a certain range upon detonation. It has never been adopted as a standard combat weapon and has mainly been used by terrorists to induce fear. Due to its simple manufacturing method and low cost, it is commonly called the "Poor Man's Nuclear Weapon" in the international community.

The only known official use of a Dirty Bomb was in 1995 when Chechen rebels, who were fighting Russia at the time, infiltrated agents into Russia and planted a Dirty Bomb in a Moscow park. The device malfunctioned and did not actually explode. There have been suspicions that international terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) manufactured Dirty Bombs, but no reports confirm their use in actual combat.

The limited use of Dirty Bombs in real combat is attributed to structural limitations. The New York Times (NYT), citing data from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), explained, "Because a Dirty Bomb mounts radioactive materials on a small bomb, it cannot carry large amounts, and its explosive power is far less than a thousandth of that of a nuclear weapon, limiting its dispersal capability. Increasing the bomb's size to boost explosive power risks dispersing the radioactive isotopes as well, and raising the concentration of radioactive materials to increase lethality endangers the bomb maker, thus limiting its power."

◆West: "Russia's False Flag Operation"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The United States and Western countries suspect that Russia's sudden allegations of Ukraine manufacturing Dirty Bombs are part of a false flag operation to justify the preemptive use of tactical nuclear weapons amid unfavorable developments on the Ukrainian front.

Russia, which has continued to raise Dirty Bomb suspicions, further provoked nuclear threats by notifying the U.S. of plans to conduct its annual nuclear weapons exercise. According to the Associated Press, Russia announced it would conduct the annual "Grom" exercise of its strategic nuclear forces and is expected to conduct missile test launches during this period.

At a press conference, President Joe Biden responded to questions about Russia's Dirty Bomb allegations, saying, "I can't yet say for sure that this is a false flag operation. I don't know," but emphasized, "However, if Russia uses tactical nuclear weapons, it would be an unbelievably serious mistake."

Meanwhile, Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced plans to inspect facilities suspected by Russia of manufacturing Dirty Bombs to directly refute Russia's allegations.

In a statement released the previous day, the IAEA said it plans to inspect two facilities that Russia identified as suspected Dirty Bomb production sites in Ukraine: the Kyiv Nuclear Research Institute and a mineral enrichment plant in Dnipro. The inspection is in response to a request from Ukrainian experts, the IAEA said.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said at a press conference, "The IAEA already investigated one of the two sites last month and confirmed that protective measures were properly implemented, with no undisclosed nuclear-related activities or materials found. We are preparing to visit both facilities within days at the request of the Ukrainian government. The purpose of the visit is to verify whether there are any undisclosed nuclear-related activities or materials."

Ukraine also rejected Russia's false claims. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba explained, "Contrary to Russia's false claims, both facilities are engaged in peaceful activities, and we have requested the IAEA to send experts."

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