JAKARTA - The United Nations nuclear watchdog is preparing to send inspectors in the coming days to two locations in Ukraine at Kyiv's request, in a real reaction to Russia's allegations that Ukraine could spread the so-called dirty bomb that has been denied.
The announcement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) follows the statement of a senior Russian officer that two locations in Ukraine linked to the nuclear industry were involved in preparations to produce dirty bombs, dirty bombs mixed with nuclear materials.
"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is aware of statements made by the Russian Federation on Sunday about alleged activities at two nuclear sites in Ukraine," the IAEA said in a statement.
"TheIAEAis preparing to visit the site in the coming days. The purpose of the security visit is to detect possible activities and unannounced nuclear material," he added.
Russian media quoted Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, as saying in a briefing: "According to information we have, two organizations in Ukraine are under concrete instructions to make so-called dirty bombs."
Meanwhile, Russia's state news agency RIA has previously identified what it says are the two locations involved in the operation, the Eastern Mineral Energy Plant in the Central Dniprop Herdsk region and the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv.
The IAEA statement did not refer to either facility. However, citing IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi who said the agency had "examined one of these locations one month ago and all of our findings are consistent with Ukraine's declaration of protection."
"No activities or unannounced nuclear material were found there," he said.
Separately, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted the day before, he had spoken to Grossi and urged him to send experts to peace facilities in Ukraine who were knowingly claimed by Russia to develop 'dirty bombs.'
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