Ukraine Rejects Russian Claims of 'Dirty Bomb' Plans at Nuclear Plants

On August 16, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry rejected Russian claims about Kyiv's supposed plans to attack nuclear power plants with "dirty bombs."

The dismissal followed allegations from several Russian state-controlled media outlets that Ukrainian forces were planning attacks on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Enerhodar and the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Russia.

Heorhii Tykhyi, the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, denounced these claims as "a surge of insane Russian propaganda."

"We categorically refute these false reports. Ukraine has neither the intention nor the capability to carry out such actions. Russia must stop disseminating these dangerous lies," Tykhyi stated.

In 2022, Russia falsely accused Ukraine of developing a "dirty bomb," a device that disperses radioactive waste using explosives. Following an inspection requested by Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found no evidence of undeclared nuclear activities or materials, as confirmed by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.

"Nothing has changed since then," Tykhyi added.

"Ukraine has always been and remains a committed signatory to the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons). We do not possess, nor do we plan to acquire, any 'dirty bombs.'"

Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, stated that Russia might be preparing a nuclear provocation.

"Their previous attempt to accuse us of terrorism and an attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant failed. Now they are resorting to falsehoods," he wrote on Telegram.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Its proximity to the front line has raised significant nuclear safety concerns throughout Russia's full-scale invasion.

On August 11, it was reported that Russian forces started a fire by igniting "a large number of automobile tires in cooling towers" at the nuclear plant to "create panic in the settlements on the right bank of the former reservoir."

The IAEA has stated that nuclear safety at the power plant remains unaffected.