WASHINGTON — The White House sharply rebutted Russia’s accusations Sunday that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory and then blame Moscow.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the National Security Council called Russia’s allegations of a possible false flag operation by Ukraine “transparently false” and accused Moscow of making the claim to lay the groundwork for its own escalation of the war.
Oct. 24, 202202:04
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has made the claim of Ukraine’s possibly using a dirty bomb in phone calls with several Western defense ministers, including U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Shoigu is using the calls to spin “stories about the so-called ‘dirty’ nuclear bomb.”
Austin spoke with Shoigu for 30 minutes Sunday, a U.S. official said. After they had not spoken for about five months, it was the second time they had talked in the past 48 hours. Austin called Shoigu on Friday. The brief readout said Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication.
“Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine,” the Defense Department's press secretary, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, said in a statement. Ryder said Shoigu also requested a follow-up phone call with Austin.
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