: Russias Claims of a Dirty Bomb in Ukraine Spark Fears About What Putin Is Planning Next #WorldNEWS A series of allegations and actions by Russia on Monday sparked fresh fears in Washington that President

Russias Claims of a Dirty Bomb in Ukraine Spark Fears About What Putin Is Planning Next #WorldNEWS
A series of allegations and actions by Russia on Monday sparked fresh fears in Washington that President Vladimir Putin was considering escalating his bloody war in Ukraine.
Without providing any evidence, the Kremlin publicly alleged that Ukraine was planning to detonate an explosive device mixed with radioactive material on its own territory with the intention of blaming Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces were being prepared to operate in conditions of radioactive contamination due to threats of this purported attack using such a device, colloquially called a “dirty bomb. ”
The allegations were roundly dismissed in Kyiv, Washington and European capitals, where leaders warned that Moscow was attempting to create a pretext for its own escalation, possibly carrying out a so-called “false-flag” operation that would inflict mass casualties and environmental contamination. It is a well-established Kremlin tactic to launch devastating attacks and then blame its enemies for the casualties. “If Russia calls and says that Ukraine is allegedly preparing something, it means one thing: Russia has already prepared it,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video address.

The White House on Monday expressed concern regarding Russia’s dirty bomb claims and rejected the notion that Kyiv was preparing such an attack. “There is no plan by the Ukrainians to do this, so, of course, that gives us concern and were obviously taking the issue seriously,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. “All I can assure you is that we are taking it seriously and we are monitoring as best we can. ”
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Detonation of a dirty bomb has been a top U. S. government concern for decades. Until now, the fear has centered on a terrorist obtaining highly radioactive materials—from a hospital for medical imaging or other scientific purposes—and packing it around an explosive charge. The force of the initial blast would be only as deadly as that of a conventional bomb, but the scattering of radioactive debris would be even more deadly and could injure victims with radiation poisoning. Because the technical challenge doesnt involve splitting an atom, the bombs are easier to construct. The devices are small—capable of fitting in a suitcase, for instance, and still capable of contaminating several city blocks. A 2004 study conducted by the National Defense University found that the economic impact of a dirty bomb could exceed those incurred after the 9/11 attacks.
The White House said the U.