Slovenia categorizes photos: Doubts about Russia’s version of ‘dirty bomb’

Russia accuses Ukraine of building a “dirty bomb”. Western countries doubt that. Slovenia has now vehemently contradicted the alleged evidence published by Russia – and provided the background to one of the alleged evidence photos.

For days, Russia has been repeating the accusation that Ukraine is planning to build and use a so-called dirty bomb — an explosive device containing radioactive material. Photos that the Russian Foreign Ministry distributed via the short message service Twitter should support this statement. But the doubts about the Russian representation are great and are increasing.

Violent opposition to the allegations made by Moscow came from Slovenia. The country’s government referred directly to the photos, which the Russian Foreign Ministry claims to have used to prove that Ukraine is about to complete a “dirty bomb”. By using such a bomb, Ukraine wants to discredit Russia by blaming the Russian military.

The pictures show, among other things, transparent bags on which the warning symbol for radioactivity is printed. According to Russia, the bags contained radioactive material that Ukraine was using.

Slovenia contradicts alleged photographic evidence

But just a day after the Russian Foreign Ministry published the pictures on Twitter, the Slovenian government countered. The photo used comes from the state’s own authority for the disposal of radioactive waste, the ARAO, and was taken in 2010. No radioactive materials can be seen on it, but smoke detectors.

ARAO boss Sandi Viršek himself contradicted the Russian account. “Radioactive waste in Slovenia is kept safe and under surveillance. It will not be used to build ‘dirty bombs’,” Viršek is quoted as saying in the Slovenian government’s tweet. According to the head of the authorities, the image used by Russia was only used for a presentation at the time. Dragan Barbutovski, adviser to Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, confirmed Viršek’s statement and stressed that the photo had been “misused without ARAO’s knowledge”.

Ukraine clearly denies allegations

The Ukrainian online newspaper “Ukrajinska Pravda” also took up the Slovenian government’s counterstatement. The Ukrainian government had previously vehemently denied the allegations from Russia – most recently the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. He described the Russian allegations as unfounded. Rather, they indicated that Russia intends to use such a weapon, he said.

West speaks of “disinformation” from Russia

Russia also accused Ukraine of building a “dirty bomb” in the United Nations Security Council. This is a “serious threat,” warned Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, at the panel’s meeting on Tuesday. Ukraine wants to force a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia.

Western countries question Russia’s statements. British deputy ambassador to the UN James Kariuki also spoke of “disinformation” about Russia on Tuesday. Moscow has not been able to present any new evidence for its claims about a “dirty bomb”.

According to Polyansky, Russia considers it proven that Ukraine could produce such a “dirty bomb” in at least two facilities. Russia is also calling for its own allegations against Ukraine to be discussed at the UN Security Council meeting in the evening. This time the panel should deal with alleged biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine.

“Dirty” bomb has never been used before

A so-called dirty bomb has never been used before. In 1996, Chechen rebels planted a radioactive explosive device in a Moscow park. The material came from a medical facility for cancer patients. He was found in time. Two years later – this time in Chechnya itself – a radioactive explosive device was dumped on a railway line. However, it was discovered in time and defused.

According to experts, it is rather unlikely that the Russian armed forces could actually use a “dirty” bomb. On the one hand, the danger to their own armed forces is too great, it said. And on the other hand, an area that Russia wants to control and has declared as its own territory could be contaminated for years.