DISINFO: The US wants to prepare the world for a provocation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP
SUMMARY
Speculation by US senators on the possibility of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) in Ukraine is absurd and only contributes to the escalation of tension. Behind the phraseology of the American senators there is a desire to prepare the world for a provocation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - to "load a dirty bomb there" and blame Russia for the incident.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about false flag operations and nuclear weapons attack, not backed up with evidence, and aiming to exploit fears about a nuclear catastrophe as part of Russia’s nuclear blackmail campaign.
Accusing others of “false flag operations” and “setups” to increase tensions or cover Russia’s own illicit actions are frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation techniques. Russian authorities and pro-Kremlin outlets frequently make these claims even if nothing emerges afterwards, aiming to reinforce the narrative that Russia is constantly the victim of such operations.
Ukraine has been a nuclear-free country since 1994 when the Budapest memorandum was signed.
In 1998, Ukraine signed an Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and in 2006 a Protocol Additional to the Agreement which provides for strict control not only over the nuclear material present on the territory of the country, but for any nuclear research.
Western leaders reject Russia's 'dirty bomb' claim and warned that such allegations can be used as a pretext for greater escalation.
Ukraine asked the IAEA to "immediately send experts to peaceful facilities in Ukraine, which the Russian Federation falsely describes as sites for the development of a 'dirty bomb'."
It is Russia who is making irresponsible hints and statements about the possibility of using nuclear arms in its war against Ukraine. For several years now the Russian infosphere has seen nuclear threats being made against the west by public figures like Dmitry Kiselyov or Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Since beginning of 2022 and the full invasion, Russian officials to make such statements are Dmitry Medvedev, Ramzan Kadyrov, Margarita Simonyan or even Vladimir Putin who specified that “it was not a bluff”.
See more disinformation claims alleging that Ukraine may launch a false flag attack against a nuclear facility, that Ukrainian terrorism has absolute disregard for nuclear safety, that Kyiv is preparing to bomb its nuclear waste storage to blame Russia, that The West might give nuclear weapons to Kyiv, that The West wants to turn Ukraine into a radioactive graveyard, that Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a "dirty bomb", that containers with radioactive substances were delivered from Europe to Ukraine for a provocation to accuse Russia, or that or that Kyiv passed from rejecting nuclear weapons to preparing a dirty bomb.