A senior U.S. official on Sunday dismissed Russian claims that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb as "transparently false," while the Pentagon chief "rejected any pretext for Russian escalation."
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made the allegation about a dirty bomb in a round of telephone conversations with Western defense chiefs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply denounced it, calling the allegation a Russian pretext for just such an attack. "The world should react as harshly as possible," he said.
A statement Sunday from US National Security Council spokeswoman, Adrienne Watson said, "We reject reports of Minister Shoigu’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory.
"The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation."
Shoigu conducted a round of telephone consultations with counterparts from Britain, France and Turkey, all NATO members, after first speaking Friday with Austin.
In those calls, Shoigu conveyed "concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a 'dirty bomb,'" the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Shoigu and Austin spoke Sunday, in what the Pentagon said was a followup call requested by Russia to their call Friday.
"Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine," said a statement afterward from...
Apple is set to pay $250 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of overselling Siri's artificial intelligence abilities on newer iPhones. According to MacRumors, the proposed class-actio...