The Russian defense minister says Ukraine will bomb and blame Russia in a meeting with NATO. The claims are dismissed as absurd.
It was in a rare telephone meeting with their counterparts in the US, Britain, France and Turkey that the sensational statements were made.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu expressed concern over “possible Ukrainian provocations, including a ‘dirty bomb’ with radioactive material”. He writes AP.
The minister has presented no evidence that such a thing is on the horizon.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace flatly rejected the claim, warning that Russia could use such false allegations as a pretext for further escalation.
The Institute for the Study of War think tank wrote the precedent week about Russian plans for a “false flag” operation. and Cherson.
US National Security Agency spokesperson Adrienne Watson also rejected what she calls “obviously false allegations.”
– The world will expose any attempt to use such allegations as a pretext for further escalation, he says.
Following Sjojgu’s statements, the United States, Britain and France issued a joint press release rejecting Sjojgu’s claims.
President Zelenskii also commented on the allegations.
– If there is anyone who can use nuclear weapons in this part of Europe, it can only come from one source – and that source is the one who ordered Comrade Shoigu to call here or there, says Zelenskii according to Al Jazeera. With obvious reference to President Vladimir Putin.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says Sjojgu’s claims are as absurd as they are dangerous.
He stresses that Ukraine does not have nuclear weapons, that the country is bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty and states:
– Furthermore, Russia often blames others for what they themselves intend to do.
Some of the same discussions occurred in April, when Russia released unsubstantiated claims to that effect Ukraine has built a biological weapons program.
