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Russia targets Ukraine with false claims of radioactive arms sales in Syria, says Ukrainian intel

Russia targets Ukraine with false claims of radioactive arms sales in Syria, says Ukrainian intel Illustrative photo: Russia launches another "toxic disinformation" against Ukraine (Getty Images)
Author: Bohdan Babaiev

Russia has launched another disinformation campaign targeting Ukraine, this time accusing Kyiv of allegedly spreading radioactive substances in Syria, informs the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

According to the agency, reports are now circulating in Syria about the alleged sale of military equipment supposedly purchased from Ukraine's Ministry of Defense. The fabricated equipment consists of a cheaply assembled container containing capsules marked PU.94244U (plutonium) and U.92 (uranium). The actual contents of the capsules are unknown.

"The container and its contents were produced in classic Russian propaganda style — sloppily. It includes unreadable Cyrillic text, blue insulating tape used to attach a fake logo of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and gross errors in labeling," the intelligence noted.

One of the capsules is labeled PU 94244U — a rare plutonium isotope, of which only a few grams exist in the entire Earth's crust.

Illustrative photo: Russia launches another “toxic disinformation” against Ukraine (Getty Images)

Russian propaganda also claims the sale of a Soviet-era chemical reconnaissance device. It was allegedly “acquired from representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine who were operating in Syria in the field of radiation, chemical, and biological protection.”

"This is a Kremlin attempt to deal a reputational blow to Ukraine in the eyes of the new leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine's international partners, and the IAEA," explained Andrii Yusov, Representative of Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Russian propaganda

Throughout its full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia has actively used propaganda as a tool of information warfare. The Kremlin frequently threatens the use of nuclear weapons to intimidate Western nations.

Russian media continue to spread disinformation about alleged "foreign control" over Ukraine, "US biolabs" on Ukrainian territory, and false narratives justifying the invasion through claims about "Nazis" or supposed oppression of Russian-speaking citizens.

Most recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin fabricated yet another justification for the 2014 occupation of Crimea.