U.S. and Allies Reject Russia’s Latest Allegations Against Ukraine As 'False Flag'

Washington on Sunday rejected Russia's accusations against Ukraine about alleged plans to detonate a radioactive dirty bomb and blame it on Moscow, TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports. Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu reportedly voiced those accusations during separate phone calls with his American, French, British and counterparts

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Shoigu spoke by phone Sunday morning. The call, which was the second in 3 days, was requested by Shoigu, according to the Pentagon.

"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 said in a readout.

Austin also spoke with British DefMin Ben Wallace Sunday afternoon, discussed Ukraine, among other topics, according to the Pentagon.

Speaking to reporters Sunday night, a senior administration official confirmed that Shoigu alleged Ukrainians were planning to use a so-called dirty bomb — a weapon combining conventional explosions and uranium.

That claim, which the Kremlin has amplified in recent days, has been strongly refuted by Washington, Kyiv, and other partners as a Russian false flag operation.

Separately on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in which he expressed the U.S.’ continued support for Ukraine and rejected Russia’s false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory.

The State Department on Sunday night also released a joint statement issued by the governments of the U.S, France, and the UK, saying that they "all reject Russia’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. We further reject any pretext for escalation by Russia," reads the statement.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.