Russia, on October 25, claimed that Kyiv is preparing to use a “dirty bomb” in Ukraine and said it would bring the issue to the UN Security Council. Ukraine – as well as France, the UK, and the US – have dismissed the allegations. Let us find out what is a dirty bomb and why has Russia made the claim that Kyiv is preparing to use it.

A dirty bomb is a mix of explosives, such as dynamite and radioactive powder or pellets. It is also known as a radiological dispersal device (RDD).

To scatter the radioactive material across the target zone, it has to be reduced to powder form. But if the particles are too fine or released into strong winds, they will scatter too widely and cause much harm.

The main danger from a dirty bomb comes not from radiation, but from the explosion, causing serious injuries and property damage.

A wide area around the blast zone would also have to be evacuated for decontamination and in some cases, even abandoned completely.

A look at the process of making a dirty bomb.

The UN’s nuclear watchdog will be sending a team to inspect two sites in Ukraine for signs of undeclared nuclear activities.

There has been speculation that Russia is planning to explode a dirty bomb in Ukraine itself and pin the blame on Ukrainian forces.

There has been no successful dirty-bomb attack anywhere in the world so far. However, there have been attempts. A look at where a dirty bomb has been used before.

In 1998 Chechnya’s intelligence service found and defused a dirty bomb that had been placed near a railway line in Chechyna.

In 2004, Dhiren Barot, a British national and al-Qaeda member, was arrested in London and jailed for 30 years for plotting terror attacks in the USS and the UK that would have included the use of a dirty bomb.

In Pics | Ukraine could use dirty bomb, claims Russia. So, what is it?

Russia, on October 25, claimed that Kyiv is preparing to use a “dirty bomb” in Ukraine and said it would bring the issue to the UN Security Council. Ukraine – as well as France, the UK, and the US – have dismissed the allegations.