The US, UK and France on Sunday dismissed Russian warnings that Ukraine was preparing to use a “dirty bomb”, calling them a “pretext for escalation”.
“We, the Foreign Ministers of France, the UK and the US, reiterate our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression. We remain committed to continuing to support Ukraine’s efforts to defend its territory for as long as necessary,” the State Department said in a joint statement with the British and French governments.
The statement continued: “Earlier today, 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 patently false claims that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb. on our territory We reject any pretexts for escalation by Russia.
The statement said the three foreign ministers also discussed “their shared determination to continue to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people through security, economic and humanitarian assistance.”
It is worth noting that a dirty bomb can be used to contaminate a wide area with radioactive materials, making it dangerous to civilians, but this is not related to a nuclear explosion.
On Sunday, Shoigu held telephone conversations with his French counterparts Sebastian Kikornu, Turk Hulusi Akar, British Ben Wallace and American Lloyd Austin, during which he informed them of his “concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine using a dirty bomb.”
The British defense said that Wallace during the conversation assured Shiogo that the Kyiv authorities did not intend to escalate in Ukraine and that London was ready to mediate in resolving the crisis.
For his part, Austin stressed to Shoigu the importance of continuing contacts between Moscow and Washington in the context of the Ukrainian crisis.
Source: RT+agencies