Russia's Shoigu speaks to Rajnath Singh about alleged Ukrainian 'dirty bomb' threat

New Delhi, Oct 26: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on Wednesday held a telephonic conversation with the Defence Minister of Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu on October 26, 2022 at the latter's request.

During the telecon, both Ministers discussed bilateral defence cooperation as well as the deteriorating situation in Ukraine.

Defence Minister Shoigu briefed the Raksha Mantri on the evolving situation in Ukraine, including his concerns about possible provocations through use of 'dirty bomb'.

Rajnath Singh reiterated India's position on the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy for an early resolution of the conflict. He pointed out that the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side as the prospect of the usage of nuclear or radiological weapons goes against the basic tenets of humanity.

Both Ministers agreed to remain in touch.

Shoigu also held a similar call with his Chinese counterpart and expressed concerns about "possible provocations by Ukraine involving the use of a dirty bomb", Shoigu's ministry said.

What is a dirty bomb?

A dirty bomb or radiological dispersal device is a radiological weapon that combines radioactive material with conventional explosives, according to Wikipedia. The purpose of the weapon is to contaminate the area around the dispersal agent/conventional explosion with radioactive material, serving primarily as an area denial device against civilians It is not to be confused with a nuclear explosion, such as a fission bomb, which produces blast effects far in excess of what is achievable by the use of conventional explosives. Unlike the cloud of radiation from a typical fission bomb, a dirty bomb's radiation can be dispersed only within a few hundred meters or a few miles of the explosion.

It should be noted that Dirty bombs have never been used so far abd its only been tested. They are designed to disperse radioactive material over a certain area. They act through the effects of radioactive contamination on the environment and related health effects of radiation poisoning in the affected populations. The containment and decontamination of victims, as well as decontamination of the affected area may require a considerable time and expenses, rendering areas partly unusable and causing economic damage. Dirty bombs might be used to create mass panic as a weapon of terror.