A five-member criminal group was detained by FSB and Ministry of Internal Affairs officials while trying to smuggle a kilo of radioactive material from Russia. This was reported by the FSB’s Center for Public Affairs (TsOS).
“To act in the interests of a foreign customer, [задержанные] took steps to buy one kilogram of cesium-137 isotope for 3.5 million dollars, bypassing legal prohibitions and restrictions, to be smuggled abroad from the Russian Federation to be used against Russian interests in a special military operation.
The FSB added that the actions of the attackers were coordinated by a citizen of Ukraine. At the same time, according to TsOS, exported cesium-137 can be used “for demonstrations in which weapons of mass destruction are used to discredit Russia.”
Criminal proceedings were brought against the detainees about preparations for smuggling radioactive materials. The FSB stressed that all five people were arrested and confessed to their actions.
Cesium-137 is used in the treatment of cancerous tumors, in the radiosterilization of products and drugs, in measuring and scanning equipment, as well as in X-ray machines.
This core is highly radioactive and extremely dangerous to humans. Citing anonymous experts, RIA Novosti claims that cesium-137 can be used to create the so-called “dirty bomb”.
The FSB also released a video of the detention. One of the detainees said that he was simultaneously a citizen of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the DPR, and confessed to his act.
On June 19, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergei Naryshkin, said that Kiev “could continue to create a dirty bomb”.
According to SVR, the Ukrainian side wants to send irradiated fuel from Rivne NPP for processing.
A “dirty bomb” is essentially a container containing radioactive material and explosives. In practice, the impact of such a bomb could repeat the explosion of a peaceful nuclear power plant or other production with radioactive materials.
On November 3, 2022, the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, said that Moscow suspected that “Western curators” were involved in the creation of a “dirty bomb” by Ukraine.
“According to available data, work is underway to create a “dirty” nuclear charge in Ukraine. We believe that this process will not take place without the participation of Western curators.” Patrushev also expressed serious concerns – because this “could threaten a global catastrophe.”
On October 23, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu briefed him on “a possible provocation of Ukraine with a dirty bomb” during a meeting with his British counterpart, Ben Wallace.
Mikhail Podolyak, chief adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that the information about the preparation of a “dirty bomb” and a provocation was “absolute and completely predictable nonsense”.
On November 3, IAEA experts checked three nuclear facilities in Ukraine but found no illegal nuclear activity.
The FSB previously reported that Ukraine arrested two pilots from the GUR unit – “it was created by the head of the department, Kirill Budanov.” According to the intelligence service, the group includes light aircraft that are supposed to drop bombs on Russian infrastructure. According to the report, they testified during the interrogation that a terrorist attack was planned in Russia using a “dirty bomb”.