Russia holds planned nuclear exercises as it clings to 'dirty bomb' narrative

NATO and Russia's military alike staged planned annual nuclear exercises Wednesday as the Russian presidentrepeated the unfounded claim that Ukraine plans to set off a radioactive "dirty bomb."

Russian President Vladimir Putin remotely observed Russia'sannual exercise, called "Grom" or "Thunder," which uses testlaunches to put Moscow's nuclear forces through their paces, in ashow of force designed to deter and intimidate foes.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the drills were intended to simulate a "massive nuclear strike" by Russia in retaliation fora nuclear attack on Russia.

The Kremlin said in a statement that all tasks set for the exercise were fulfilled and all of the missiles that were test-fired reached their designated targets.

Potential challenge to U.S., allies

The Pentagon said a day earlier that Russia had notified itof its intention to carry out the exercises at a time when NATOis rehearsing its own use of U.S. nuclear bombs based in Europein its annual "Steadfast Noon" war games.

The drills present a potential challenge to the UnitedStates and its allies after Putin's nuclear sabre-rattling during its invasion of Ukraine, thoughWestern officials have expressed confidence in their ability todiscern the difference between a Russian drill and any move byPutin to make good on his threats.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is holding its own annual nuclear drills,involving U.S. B-52 bombers, 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft.

The Russian exercise comes amid Moscow's warnings of a purported Ukrainian plot to detonate a radioactive device in a false flag attack to blame Russia, a claim strongly rejected by Ukraine and its allies.

Russia has continued banging that drum this week, includingcomments from Shoigu and Putin and a message given behind closed doors to the United Nations Security Council.

Shoigu called his counterparts from India and China to convey Moscow's concern about thepurported Ukrainian plan, following a series of calls earlier in the weekwith NATO defence ministers.

Putin warns of 'so-called dirty bomb'

Putin spoke of the alleged threat on Wednesday, telling a meeting of intelligence officials from the CIS group of ex-Soviet countries that the West was "pumping" Ukraine with heavy weapons, adding, "There are also plans to use a so-called dirty bomb for provocations."It was the first time Putin himself made the dirty bomb allegation.

A dirty bomb uses explosives to scatter radioactive waste in an effort to sow terror. Such weapons don't have the devastating destruction of a nuclear explosionbut could expose broad areas to radioactive contamination that could last for years.

Western allies have dismissed as absurd the idea that Ukraine would contaminate its own land with toxic waste when Russia is on its back foot on the battlefield.Russia has provided no proof of the allegation.

Britain's deputy UNambassador, James Kariuki, called theallegations "pure Russian misinformation of the kind we've seenmany times before."

Western officials have expressed fear the warning looks designed to serve as thejustification for some kind of Russian battlefield escalation at a time when Ukrainian forces are advancing inside Russian-occupied Kherson province.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday that the 30-nation military organization "will not be intimidated or deterred from supporting Ukraine's right to self-defence for as long as it takes."

WATCH | Ukraine denies Russia's 'dirty bomb' accusation:

Ukraine denies Russias dirty bomb accusation

2 years ago

Duration 2:06

Ukraine is denying claims from Russia that it is about to launch a radioactive dirty bomb attack, a claim Western allies have also dismissed. United Nations inspectors will be heading to the country at Kyiv's request to debunk the accusation.

Since Russian forces suffered major defeats in Ukraine inSeptember, Putin has doubled down, calling up hundreds ofthousands of reservists, announcing the annexation of occupiedterritoryand engaging in threats.

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Moscow on Tuesday that any use of a nuclear weapons by Russiawould be an "incredibly serious mistake."

Slovenia's government said Russia has been engaging in a disinformation campaign about the "dirty bombs," using a 2010 photo from the European Union country's Agency for Radioactive Waste titled "Ukraine's capacities to create the dirty bomb."

Putin claims openness to negotiations

The photo shows bags containing smoke detectors bearing inscriptions in Slovenian reading "radioaktivno,"or radioactive. The Slovenian government says the detectors contain a radioactive source but isn't one of those listed below the photo in the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry release. Slovenia's government said on Twitter that its radioactive waste is stored safely and is not used for dirty bombs.

While continuing to issue unsubstantiated claims, Putinis still sending signals that he's open to negotiations with Kyiv. The latest message came via Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, President of Guinea-Bissau, who visited Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"I was in Russia with President Putin, who asked me to forward you what we spoke about, something he thinks would be very important. He wishes and thinks that a direct dialogue should happen between your two countries," the Guinea-Bissau leader said.

At a newsconference, Zelenskyy responded that a prerequisite for talks would be Russia's recognition of Ukraine's territory, borders and sovereignty.

The two sides have managed limited co-operation on certain issues, such as the exchange of prisoners of war and repatriation of remains.

Russia hits more than 40 towns

On the ground, Ukrainian officials say Russia has targeted morethan 40 towns around Ukraine over the past day, killing at least twomore people and sustaining the terror that forces people into airraid shelters each night.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forcessaid on Wednesday that Russian forces launched five rockets, 30 air strikes and more than 100 multiple-launch rocket system attacks on Ukrainian targets.

A Ukrainian official reported Wednesday that a Russian strike hita gas station in the city of Dnipro, killing two people, including apregnant woman. The governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, ValentynReznichenko, said four wounded people were hospitalized.

Mykolaiv, a southern port city near the war's front line, isamong the places where residents have lined up to receive rations ofbread and canned food as increases in food prices and losses ofincome add to the war-time burdens of low-income households inUkraine.

Several buildings and neighbourhoods were struck in Mykolaiv onTuesday, though it was still unclear if there were any casualties,according to local authorities.

Missiles continued early Wednesday morning.

'It's terrifying'

The sole food distribution point in Mykolaiv allows each personto receive free bread once every three days. Many must walk longdistances to collect the essential food items for their family.

"Bread and canned food is all I eat. It's almost winter already,and it's terrifying," Anna Bilousova, 70, said.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin on Wednesday kept the door open fortalks on a possible swap involving jailed U.S. basketball starBrittney Grinerbut reiterated that any such discussions must bekept strictly confidential.

A Russian court on Tuesday rejected Griner's appeal against hernine-year prison sentence for drug possession. The eight-time all-star centrewith the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medallist was convicted Aug. 4 after police said theyfound vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage atMoscow's Sheremetyevo Airport.