IAEA starts 'dirty bomb' claims inspections in Ukraine

The UN atomic watchdog has started its inspections of two nuclear sites in Ukraine being carried out at Kyiv's request to address Russian claims that it is working on a so-called 'dirty bomb', the watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday, Reuters reported.

"Director General Grossi said IAEA inspectors had begun – and would soon complete – verification activities at (the) two locations in Ukraine," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement, adding that Grossi would "later this week provide his initial conclusions" about the inspections.

Russian media quoted Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov — the head of Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops — as telling a briefing, "According to the information we have, two organizations in Ukraine are under concrete instructions to create a so-called dirty bomb."

Russia's state news agency, RIA, had earlier identified what it said were the two sites involved in the operation: the Eastern Mineral Enrichment Plant in the central Dnipropetrovsk region and the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv.

RHM/PR