Russia's warning that Ukraine was readying to use a "dirty bomb" fits Moscow's track record of deception, when it "accuses others for what they intend to do themselves," NATO's chief told AFP in an interview on Tuesday.

"Russia continues to accuse falsely Ukraine for preparing and making a dirty bomb -- that is absurd, because why should Ukraine use a dirty bomb on the territories they want to liberate?" Jens Stoltenberg said during a visit to a US aircraft carrier currently in the Mediterranean, USS George H.W. Bush.

Western leaders have rejected Moscow's claim that Ukraine is planning to set off a crude device that could spread nuclear, chemical or biological materials over a wide area.

They fear that the Kremlin, which has faced major setbacks in its invasion of Ukraine as NATO countries back Kyiv with weapons and funds, is preparing a "false flag" operation where it launches such am attack and blames it on Ukraine.

"The world would see through any attempt to use the allegation as a pretext for escalation," the United States, France and Britain said in a joint statement.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday was to discuss the "dirty bomb" claim.

"I would be careful speculating, but we've seen this before, we also saw it at the start of the war," Stoltenberg said in a video interview with AFPTV.

"A lot of false accusations against Ukraine were used in a way to 'excuse' the invasion that happened later.... We have seen what has happened before and that makes it necessary to follow closely what Russia now does."

Stoltenberg added: "They need to understand that we will not accept a false pretext so that Russia further escalates the war in Ukraine."

- 'Powerful message' -

During his visit to the US warship, Stoltenberg addressed more than a hundred servicemen and women on board in the flight hangar, in front of a stage with a giant US flag and a line of national flags of NATO's 30 member countries.

The hangar held a couple of F-18 multi-role fighter jets and a portrait of the aircraft carrier's namesake, former US president George H.W. Bush.

The warship was leading a carrier strike group, a flotilla of US Navy vessels that includes a cruiser and four destroyers.

Stoltenberg told the personnel in the aircraft carrier that the strike group "sends a powerful message" that NATO allies are in a state of "increased vigilance from the Baltic to the Mediterranean -- and the Black Sea" which is off southern Ukraine.

While NATO is not directly involved in Ukraine's struggle against the Russian invasion, it has repeatedly said it will vigorously defend every centimetre of territory in NATO member states that neighbour Ukraine should they be attacked.

US President Joe Biden has warned Moscow that it using a nuclear weapon in its war in Ukraine -- including a lower-yield so-called tactical nuke -- would be "an incredibly serious mistake".

Russia tells China, India Ukraine planning 'dirty bomb' attack
Moscow (AFP) Oct 26, 2022 - Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday reiterated claims that Ukraine is preparing a provocation using a "dirty bomb" in a video call with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe, according to Moscow's defence ministry.

"The situation in Ukraine was discussed. Army General Sergei Shoigu conveyed to his Chinese counterpart concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a 'dirty bomb'," the ministry said in a statement.

In a separate statement earlier on Wednesday, it said Shoigu also voiced the same "concerns" in a phone call with India's Defence Minster Rajnath Singh.

At its most basic, a dirty bomb is a conventional bomb laced with radioactive, biological or chemical materials which are disseminated in an explosion.

Shoigu accused Ukraine of planning to use a "dirty bomb" in calls with several NATO counterparts on Sunday, claims dismissed as "dangerous" lies by Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that Russia has information showing the "existing threat" of Ukraine using a "dirty bomb" and that Ukraine is "preparing for such a terrorist act of sabotage".

"We will vigorously continue bringing our point of view to the world community to encourage them to take active steps to prevent such irresponsible behaviour," Peskov added.

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Analysts say Moscow's 'dirty bomb' claims just a diversion
Paris (AFP) Oct 25, 2022
Russia's claim this week that Ukraine could use a so-called "dirty bomb" on its own territory is seen by analysts as a new attempt to stoke fear of nuclear escalation among Kiev's backers, if not a pure and simple distraction. A "dirty bomb" is a conventional bomb laced with radioactive, biological or chemical materials which get disseminated in an explosion. The term is often used interchangeably with radiological dispersal device (RDD), a bomb where radioactive materials are used. In a joi ... read more