IAEA preparing to inspect two sites in Ukraine over ‘dirty bomb’ claims

The UN nuclear watchdog is preparing to send inspectors in the coming days to two Ukrainian sites at Kyiv's request, it said on Monday, in an apparent reaction to Russian claims that Ukraine could deploy a so-called dirty bomb, which Ukraine denies.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's announcement followed statements by a senior Russian officer that two institutes in Ukraine linked to the nuclear industry were engaged in preparations to produce such a bomb. “Dirty bombs” are laced with nuclear material.