‘Dirty bomb’ search
UN probes nuke threat
KYIV: The UN’S nuclear watchdog this week will carry out an “independent verification” of Russian claims of the production of so-called “dirty bombs” at two sites in Ukraine.
This is partly to address fears Russia is preparing the ground to justify the use of tactical nuclear weapons in response.
Russia has accused Ukraine of preparing to use dirty bombs against its troops, but Kyiv suspects Russia might itself use a dirty bomb in a “false lse flag” attack to justify the use of conventional nuclear weapons.
Moscow has previously claimed its unprovoked attack on its neighbour was due to Ukraine attacking its border settlements.
In the weeks before its invasion, there were multiple warnings from US, NATO and Ukraine intelligence services that Russia was planning a series of false flag attacks as a pretence for invasion.
However, the prospect of a false flag attack of a dirty bomb – a crude mix of biological, chemical or nuclear material – to allow Russia to take the war nuclear is far more alarming.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said: “IAEA inspectors will conduct independent verification at these locations”.
He said they would work “to detect any diversion of nuclear material under safeguards, any undeclared production or processing of nuclear material … and assure that there are no undeclared nuclear material and activities”.
The agency said it had inspected “one of the two locations a month ago and no undeclared nuclear activities or materials were found there”.
A dirty bomb is a conventional bomb laced with radioactive, biological or chemical materials which are spread in an explosion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the IAEA to inspect the Ukraine sites “as fast as possible”.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia would face “great anger” if it backed out of an agreement to allow grain exports from war-torn Ukraine.
The 120-day Black Sea Grain Initiative, a Un-led deal agreed with Moscow and Kyiv, runs until November 19. It spells out terms for exporting grain from Ukrainian ports blocked by the Russians.
The agreement has allowed almost nine million tonnes of grain to leave those ports and ease a global food crisis triggered by the invasion.
But uncertainty over whether the accord will be renewed has already caused prices of some food products to rise. Mr Blinken said: “The idea that Russia doesn’t want to continue it … will be met with great anger by countries around the world.”