Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that accusing Moscow of planning an attack using a radioactive “dirty bomb,” as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did on Sunday, is not a “serious conversation,” Interfax reports.

It is reported that Lavrov made these remarks to journalists of the Valdai Discussion Club think tank, Reuters reports.

Western countries accused Russia on Monday of plotting to use the threat of a nuclear bomb as a pretext for an escalation in Ukraine, as Moscow evacuated civilians from the southern city in anticipation of a major battle.

As Ukrainian troops advanced into the Russian-controlled Kherson region, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called his Western counterparts on Sunday to say Moscow suspected Kyiv of plans to use a so-called “dirty bomb.”

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of France, Great Britain and the United States said that they reject all accusations and confirm their support for Ukraine against Russia.

“Our countries made it clear that we all reject Russia’s false accusations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory,” they said.

“The world will see any attempt to use this accusation as a pretext for escalation,” they added.

On the same topic:

What is the “dirty bomb” that, according to Russia, Ukraine wants to use

Russia has prepared its armed forces for a “dirty bomb” strike.

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