Russia accused of plotting “dirty bomb”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called his counterparts in several Western countries on Sunday to say that Ukraine was planning to detonate a “dirty bomb.” He said the attack would be a false flag attack—that Ukraine would detonate the bomb and claim that Russia was responsible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said Sunday night that it was Russia that was planning to attack his country with a dirty bomb, not the other way around. Britain, France, and the United States said they rejected Russia’s claims and backed up Ukraine.

What is a dirty bomb? It uses explosives to scatter radioactive waste. While it doesn’t possess the blast radius or the explosive capacity of a nuclear bomb, it could contaminate large areas with radiation.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD magazine on the quest to hold Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine.