Europe 1 with AFP 10:41 p.m., October 25, 2022, modified at 10:41 p.m., October 25, 2022
While Moscow has been advancing the theory for a few days that kyiv is preparing "a dirty bomb", Joe Biden warned on Tuesday that the use of nuclear weapons, including tactical ones, by Russia would be "an immensely serious error".
Joe Biden warned on Tuesday that Russia's use of a nuclear weapon would be a "hugely serious mistake", as Moscow claims Ukraine is preparing a "dirty bomb", a claim denied by kyiv and Western countries .
"Russia would be making an immensely serious mistake if it used a tactical nuclear weapon," the US president said.
Read also >>
War in Ukraine: Zelensky calls for a financial effort from the international community
A radiological bomb or "dirty bomb" consists of conventional explosives surrounded by radioactive materials intended to be disseminated in dust at the time of the explosion.
The Pentagon warned Russia that the use of such a bomb would have repercussions.
"If Russia used nuclear weapons or a dirty bomb, there would be consequences," Pentagon spokesman General Pat Ryder told reporters.
"False" statements from Moscow
Moscow raised the charges for the first time on Sunday in telephone conversations between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his American, French, British and Turkish counterparts, referring to "possible provocations by Ukraine with recourse to a 'dirty bomb'".
Paris, London and Washington together lambasted Moscow's "false" statements on Monday.
"No one would be fooled by an attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation," they stressed in a joint statement.
“I do not guarantee for the moment that it is a pretext operation. We do not know”, however indicated Tuesday Joe Biden.