Russia’s ‘Dirty Bomb’ Ploy

Updated at 6:30 p.m. ET on October 22, 2022

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The Russians have accused the Ukrainians of preparing to use a “dirty bomb,” because they want to rattle the West and keep the use of Russian nuclear weapons on the table.

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Rationalization for Escalation?

Over the weekend, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and—interestingly—. In these calls, Shoigu claimed that Ukraine is about to use a “dirty bomb,” which would ostensibly allow Russia to open the door to retaliation with nuclear weapons. Today, General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of his American and British counterparts to press the same case.