Russia informs UN of Ukraine 'dirty bomb' plans

Moscow insists before UN Security Council that Kiev planned to detonate a "dirty bomb" in the conflict zone, but Western diplomats say Moscow provided no evidence to support the claim.

Ukrainian servicemen prepare to fire a mortar on a front line in the Kharkiv region on October 25, 2022.
Reuters

Ukrainian servicemen prepare to fire a mortar on a front line in the Kharkiv region on October 25, 2022.

Russia has taken its accusation that Ukraine was preparing to use a dirty bomb — an explosive device laced with radioactive material — to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), voicing its concerns during a closed-door meeting of the 15-member body.

"We're quite satisfied because we raised the awareness," Russia's Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told reporters on Tuesday. 

"I don't mind people saying that Russia is crying wolf if this doesn't happen because this is a terrible, terrible disaster that threatens potentially the whole of the Earth."

Russia has alleged that Kiev has ordered two organisations to create a dirty bomb, without giving any evidence. Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia sent a letter to the United Nations on Monday detailing the accusations.

"We've seen and heard no new evidence," Britain's Deputy UN Ambassador James Kariuki told reporters, referring to Russia's "transparently false allegations." He added: "This is pure Russian misinformation of the kind of we've seen many times before and it should stop."

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When asked what evidence Russia had to back its claims, Polyanskiy told reporters that it was intelligence information that had been shared with Western counterparts with the "necessary level of clearance."

The UN nuclear watchdog — the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — is preparing to send inspectors in the coming days to two Ukrainian sites at Kiev's request, an apparent reaction to Russia's dirty bomb claims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has responded by accusing Russia of planning such an attack itself to blame on Ukraine. Western countries also rejected Russia's allegation as a pretext for intensifying the eight-month-long war.

READ MORE: Live blog: Biden warns Russia against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine

'Military biological programmes'

The Security Council discussion on Tuesday was the first of three likely meetings requested by Russia this week.

Russia has asked the council to be briefed on Wednesday on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' mandate under a 2015 resolution enshrining the Iran nuclear deal. 

The move comes after Ukraine and Western allies accused Russia of using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine in violation of the resolution and asked Guterres to investigate.

The council is also due to meet on Thursday on Russian accusations that there are "military biological programmes" in Ukraine. 

Russia has circulated a draft resolution to council members to set up a commission — made up of all 15 council members — "to investigate into the claims against the US and Ukraine contained in the complaint of the Russian Federation."

It was not immediately clear if or when Russia would put it to a vote. A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, France or Britain to pass.

The Security Council has met dozens of times on Ukraine since Moscow invaded its neighbour on February 24, but is unable to take meaningful action as Russia protects itself with its veto.

READ MORE: More grain ships depart from Ukraine under Istanbul deal

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