Ukraine’s president says evidence is clear that no one in country has created ‘dirty bombs’

KYIV, Ukraine

Ukraine has “clear and irrefutable” evidence that no “dirty bombs” were produced in the country as inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demonstrated, the Ukrainian president said late Thursday.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message on Telegram that the IAEA carried out the inspections at Ukraine’s request.

The agency found no indications of nuclear activities at the three Ukrainian facilities it was asked to inspect, said Zelenskyy.

"We invited the IAEA to check. We have given them full freedom of action at the relevant facilities,” he said.

“We have clear and irrefutable evidence that no one in Ukraine has created or is creating any dirty bombs,” he emphasized.

Arguing that Russia is pursuing a "dirty game," Zelenskyy accused it of organizing "terrorist" attacks against his war-torn country.

Recalling that Russian forces have recently carried out intensive attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, he said that as a result, around 4.5 million people across the country have been affected by power cuts.

“To endure Russian energy terror and such a challenge is our national task, one of the main ones now,” he added.

Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February, which besides leaving thousands of Ukrainian civilians dead, injured and displaced has led to an energy crisis and affected the global economy.

*Writing by Merve Berker