Russia Warns of 'Radiation Disaster' As It Ramps Up Nuclear War Talk

Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the United States, warned of a "radiation disaster" on Wednesday as the Kremlin continues to ramp up nuclear war talk.

"Today we face the threat of a radiation disaster," Antonov said in an article posted by the Russian embassy on the Telegram messaging app.

He doubled down on Russia's claims that Ukraine intends to use a "dirty bomb," although both Ukrainian and U.S. officials have rejected claims Kyiv was plotting to explode such a device.

"Detonation of such radiological explosive device will have the magnitude comparable to an explosion of a low-yield nuclear weapon," Antonov said.

"The blast wave will disperse radioactive substances over the area of up to several thousand square meters. Contaminated territories will turn into an exclusion zone for 30-50 years."

His latest remarks come as the West has repeatedly rejected Russia's "dirty bomb" claims as false.

The United Nations watchdog confirmed last week that found no sign of "undeclared nuclear activities" at three sites it inspected in Ukraine in response to the allegations from Russia.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a statement on Thursday saying that it had been granted "unfettered access" to the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv, Eastern Mining and Processing Plant in Zhovti Kody, and Production Association Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant in Dnipro.

"Based on the evaluation of the results available to date and the information provided by Ukraine, the agency did not find any indications of undeclared nuclear activities and materials at the locations," the IAEA said.

Antonov, however, accused Kyiv on Wednesday as working on creating a "dirty bomb."

A dirty bomb is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a mix of explosives and radioactive material such as powder or pellets.

"When the dynamite or other explosives are set off, the blast carries radioactive material into the surrounding area," the CDC states on its website.

Antonov claimed that an "even more dangerous scenario" Kyiv is considering "is a provocation at nuclear power plants located in the territory controlled by Ukraine."

"This could lead to an accident comparable to the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters which the world has not yet recovered from," Antonov added.

Some Ukrainian and western officials have accused Russia of pushing the claims to cover up provocations it planned to stage itself.

The ambassador's claims come as fears about the use of atomic weapons by Russian President Vladimir Putin continue to grow, and as talks of the use of nuclear weapons continue to make headlines.

The Russian leader has warned about his readiness to use "all means available" to fend off attacks on Russia's territory.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on November 2 that Russia "is strictly and consistently guided by the postulate of the inadmissibility of a nuclear war in which there can be no winners and which must never be unleashed."

White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said that Washington and Moscow have held talks aimed at lowering the rhetoric around Russia's potential use of nuclear weapons.

On Tuesday, Ukraine held exercises to prepare for a nuclear strike. Ruslan Zaparaniuk, head of the military administration in Ukraine's western Chernivtsi region, announced on his Telegram channel that drills were held "to eliminate the consequences of a nuclear strike."

Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's foreign ministry for comment.