Warning to Russia, NATO said it (Russia) must not escalate the conflict in Ukraine with false claims that Kyiv is planning to unleash a so-called "dirty bomb."
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg weighed in following Moscow's repeated allegations that Ukraine could deploy such a weapon, sparking fears Russia could use one and blame Kyiv.
He said he had spoken with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace "about Russia's false claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory."
"NATO Allies reject this allegation. Russia must not use it as a pretext for escalation. We remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine," he wrote on Twitter, reports AFP.
Earlier, Moscow has alleged that Ukraine is close to developing a dirty bomb, and its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted the threat is real.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
