The “briefing” from the Russian defense minister and the reaction of the West – All answers from the DHS in the USA – Who has such a weapon and who tried to get it – What are the consequences in case of an explosion
In the last 24 hours, the term has entered our lives “dirty bomb” and is of course related to the war in Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu mentioned it and informed his counterparts in Washington, Paris, London and Ankara “about the dangerous intentions of Kiev”. Of course his claim was rejected by the West, but the question is not who will use the bomb, but what damage it will cause and whether the effects will be more global.
The CNN proceeded to an excellent analysis of all the questions that have arisen, around the “dangerous debate” that has opened about… a dirty bomb.
What is generally the bomb mentioned by Shoigu. A dirty bomb is a weapon that combines conventional explosives such as dynamite and radioactive material such as uranium. It is often referred to as a weapon for terrorists, not countries, as it is designed to spread fear and panic more than eliminate any military target. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly denied Moscow’s accusations and Kiev’s foreign minister has invited UN inspectors to visit Ukraine to show they have “nothing to hide”.
What does Russia claim?
Without providing any evidence, Moscow claims there are scientific institutions in Ukraine that house the technology needed to create a dirty bomb and accuses Kyiv of planning to use it. The Russian Defense Ministry said on October 24 that it has information indicating that Kyiv is planning a provocation related to the detonation of a dirty bomb.
“The purpose of this provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian theater of operations and thus launch a strong anti-Russian campaign in the world aimed at undermining trust in Moscow,” claimed Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Radiation
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu backed that claim in a conversation with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on October 23, according to a US official familiar with the conversation.
Russia plans to raise its charges against Ukraine at the UN Security Council on October 25, according to Reuters.
How did people react?
Russia’s claims have been strongly denied by Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO. The West in turn accused Moscow of trying to launch its own provocation operation.
“Everyone understands everything well, they understand what is the source of every imaginable dirty in this war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his October 23 night speech.
The White House said on October 24 that it is “monitoring as best it can” any possible preparations to use a dirty bomb in Ukraine, but sees nothing to indicate the imminent use of such a weapon.
The UN nuclear watchdog said on October 24 that it would send inspectors to visit two nuclear sites in Ukraine after receiving a request from authorities in Kyiv.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was “aware of the Russian Federation’s statements on Sunday regarding alleged activities at two nuclear sites in Ukraine,” according to a press release on the agency’s website. The IAEA did not give the location of the two sites.
In a tweet on October 24, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said: “Unlike Russia, Ukraine has always been and remains transparent. We have nothing to hide.”
Is a dirty bomb a nuclear weapon?
No. The explosion from a dirty bomb is created by conventional explosives. The explosion from a nuclear weapon is created by a nuclear reaction, like the atomic bombs the US dropped on Japan in World War II.
“A nuclear bomb creates an explosion that is thousands to millions of times more powerful than any conventional explosive that could be used in a dirty bomb,” according to a fact sheet from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The blast from a nuclear weapon can level entire cities. For example, the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945 obliterated 2.6 square miles (6.2 square kilometers) of the city, according to ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Conventional explosives in a dirty bomb can only level or destroy a few buildings.
Meanwhile, the mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion could cover tens to hundreds of square miles, scattering fine particles of radioactive material over that area, DHS says.
Most of the radioactive material from a dirty bomb will spread over a few city blocks or a few square miles, according to DHS.
Has a dirty bomb ever been used?
No.
In 1995, Chechen rebels planted but failed to detonate a dirty bomb in a Moscow park, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
There have been reports that terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda or ISIS have built or attempted to build a dirty bomb, but none has ever been detonated.
Is nuclear material in a dirty bomb lethal?
DHS says it is unlikely that a dirty bomb would emit high enough doses of radiation “to cause immediate health effects or deaths in large numbers of people.”
The Texas Department of Health explains why:
To build a dirty bomb capable of delivering lethal doses of radiation, large amounts of lead or steel shielding would be needed to prevent the material from killing its makers during construction, he says.
But using such shielding material would make the bomb bulky and difficult to move or deploy, likely requiring heavy equipment and remote control tools, and would limit how far the radiation could spread, according to the Texas state agency.
What about radiation exposure?
The radiation produced by a dirty bomb would cause similar levels of exposure to the amount taken during dental x-rays, according to the Texas health department.
“It’s like breaking apart a rock. If someone were to throw a large rock at you, it would probably hurt and may cause you physical harm. If they take the same rock and break it into grains of sand and then throw the sand at you, the chances of it doing any real damage to you are significantly lower.”
The severity of radiation sickness is affected by exposure over time, according to DHS. Preventive measures can be as simple as removal.
“Walking even a short distance from the (explosion) scene could provide significant protection, as the dose level decreases dramatically with distance from the source,” DHS says.
People should also cover their noses and mouths to avoid ingesting radiation, go indoors to escape any dust cloud, throw away their clothes in a plastic bag, and then gently wash their skin to remove contaminants, DHS says.
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