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Updated October 24th, 2022 at 09:03 IST

UK Defence Min refutes Russia's claims of Ukraine taking help of West in escalating war

Britan defence chief refuted Moscow's claim and cautioned his counterpart that such allegations must not be used as a pretext for greater escalation in Kyiv.

Reported by: Ajeet Kumar
UK
Image: AP | Image:self
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Britain's defence minister, Ben Wallace, who spoke to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, on Sunday, refuted the claims made by the latter about Western countries, including the UK, escalating the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian Defence Chief, without providing any concrete evidence, accused the war-embattled nation of preparing a “provocation” involving a radioactive device. Though the statement released by the UK government did not mention Ukraine will use the radioactive device, the Russian Defence Ministry said that Shoigu voiced concern about possible Ukrainian provocations involving a 'dirty bomb'. The term means low-intensity nuclear explosions which do not have the same effect as a regular nuke weapon.

However, the Britan defence chief refuted Moscow's claim and cautioned his counterpart that such allegations must not be used as a pretext for greater escalation in Kyiv. "At the request of the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Secretary of State for Defence spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, this afternoon. Minister Shoigu alleged that Ukraine was planning actions facilitated by Western countries, including the UK, to escalate the conflict in Ukraine," according to the statement.

"The Defence Secretary refuted these claims and cautioned that such allegations should not be used as a pretext for greater escalation," it added. The Defence Secretary also reiterated the UK and wider international support for Ukraine and the desire to de-escalate the brutal conflict. He stressed it is for Ukraine and Russia to seek a resolution to the war and assured his support in the de-escalation. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak also refuted his claims and dubbed it an “absolute and quite predictable absurdity from those who believe that they blatantly lie and make people believe in that.”

Putin had promised to not escalate the war

Amid escalating war between Moscow and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a press conference in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, last week, asserted that he would not carry out massive strikes against facilities in the war-embattled nation, "at least for now". As per the Russian President, Moscow has some other plans and goals and reiterated, "there is no need for massive strikes, at least for now". "Currently, other tasks are on the agenda, because, in my opinion, out of the 29 facilities, seven were not hit the way the Defense Ministry had planned. But these facilities are being finished off gradually, there is no need for massive strikes, at least for now. Then we'll see," Putin said.

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Published October 24th, 2022 at 09:03 IST

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