Joe Biden warned on Tuesday that Russia’s use of a nuclear weapon would be an “hugely serious mistake” as Moscow claims Ukraine is preparing a “dirty bomb,” a claim denied by Kyiv and Western countries.
“Russia would be making an immensely serious mistake if it used a tactical nuclear weapon,” the US president said.
“There would be consequences”
A radiological bomb or “dirty bomb” consists of conventional explosives surrounded by radioactive materials intended to disperse into dust upon explosion.
The Pentagon warned Russia that the use of such a bomb would have repercussions. “If Russia were to use nuclear weapons or a dirty bomb, there would be consequences,” Pentagon spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.
Moscow first raised the charges Sunday in telephone conversations between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his American, French, British and Turkish counterparts, referring to “possible provocations by Ukraine using a ‘dirty bomb’.” .
Paris, London and Washington together criticized Moscow’s “false” statements on Monday. “No one would be fooled by an attempt to use this accusation as a pretext for escalation,” they stressed in a joint statement.
“I do not guarantee at the moment that it is a pretext operation. We do not know,” said Joe Biden on Tuesday.
Source: BFM TV
