West Rejects Russian Claims Ukraine Planning To Use ‘Dirty Bomb’

The U.S. has rejected Russian claims that Ukraine plans to detonate a “dirty bomb,” calling it a false flag operation, reports CNN.

During a call on Sunday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed Ukraine had plans to use a dirty bomb on its territory.

A dirty bomb combines explosives and uranium to contaminate an area with radiation.

The call on Sunday was the second in three days between Austin and Shoigu. The two defense leaders had not previously spoken since May, officials said.

The Kremlin has been pushing the story in recent days. U.S., Ukrainian, British and French officials have strongly refuted the claim.

National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson told CNN in a statement that “the world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation.”

Late Sunday, the State Dept. released a joint statement with France and the U.K. calling Shoigu’s allegations false and reiterating support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Separately, the U.S. is monitoring for specific intelligence indicating that Russia plans to blow up a dam near the city of Kherson, where Russia has ordered civilians to evacuate.