Alarming information from reliable sources indicate that Kiev is preparing a provocation with the use of an explosive device filled with radioactive substances, aka “dirty bomb.” Nothing could cause greater concern.

The purpose of this heinous provocation is clear – to accuse Russia of using a weapon of mass destruction. The Ukrainian authorities and their Western handlers hope that it will lead to a broad anti-Russian campaign, undermine Moscow’s credibility in the eyes of its partners and lead to our country’s isolation in the international arena.

According to our sources, the Ukrainian side has already begun to implement the plan. In particular, the Vostochny Ore Mining and Processing Plant in the town of Zholtiye Vody and the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kiev have been tasked with making the bomb. We cannot rule out the possibility of some Western countries helping Ukraine fulfil this goal. Reportedly, they are holding talks with Ukraine on supplying the dirty bomb components to it. According to information obtained by Russia, Kiev is planning to detonate the bomb by disguising it as an unauthorised burst of a low-yield Russian nuclear bomb with enriched uranium.

In this context, we would like to note Vladimir Zelensky’s irresponsible remarks at the Munich Conference in February about Kiev's aspiration to obtain nuclear weapons, which would create actual risks for Russia and international security. The issue concerns potentially revising Ukraine’s non-nuclear status, which would mean an attempt to get hold of nuclear weapons to the detriment of the NPT regime. Given Kiev's recent statements about the need for “pre-emptive nuclear strikes” by NATO against Russia, this is absolutely unacceptable and untenable. Moreover, calls to detonate a dirty bomb in Moscow have already been making the rounds on the Ukrainian internet lately. Instructions on how to assemble one were even posted.

By all indications, Ukraine is trying to play out a scenario similar to the provocation in Bucha when they attempted to groundlessly accuse us of civilian deaths. Despite our repeated requests, including to the UN Secretary-General, to provide the victims’ personal data and information about the circumstances that led to their deaths, we still haven’t received an answer.

We demand that the Kiev authorities and their Western handlers stop taking actions that are leading the world towards nuclear catastrophe and threatening innocent civilian lives. It would be reckless to ignore Russia’s warnings in this regard. It is dangerous to push things towards escalation. The West should not be measuring the width of the red line.