Moscow 'aware' of Kyiv's plans to create 'dirty bomb': Defense chief

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian defense minister said on Wednesday that Moscow is aware of Kyiv's attempts to create "a dirty nuclear bomb" and readiness to deploy NATO nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory.

The US and EU ignore Ukraine's nuclear threats, including calls by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to carry out preventive nuclear strikes on Russia, Sergey Shoygu told a meeting of the joint Russia-Belarus military board.

"It is clear that the current situation is beneficial primarily to the US. Washington seeks to use it to preserve global leadership and weaken other countries as much as possible, including its allies in Europe," he said.

The West encourages the conflict in Ukraine, pumping weapons to the country and providing the intelligence, mercenaries, wages information, and sanctions war against Russia, he continued.

According to the minister, the goal of "the destructive efforts of the collective West" is to destroy Russia's economy and military potential, for this, NATO intends to move to the establishment of a full-scale defense system on the eastern flank near the borders of Russia, creates new multinational groups in Europe -- in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.

"The NATO grouping near the borders of Russia has grown 2.5 times since February, exceeding 30,000 people, in the near future it may increase even more," he noted.

To counter the threats, Moscow and Minsk will continue to form a unified defense space, Shoygu stressed.

He recalled that since Oct. 22, the defense ministries of the two countries have been carrying out a combat adjustment of units of the regional military group.

"Belarus has been and remains a loyal ally and reliable partner -- this is especially important when tensions are rapidly increasing in the world, the foundations of strategic stability are being destroyed, and confrontation between the West and Russia is intensifying," he stressed.