In calls to Western leaders that included the United States, Britain, France, and Turkey, Russia’s defense minister said Ukraine is plotting a false flag “dirty bomb” attack. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has started warning that Ukrainian forces are preparing a “provocation” with a radioactive device.

Shoigu’s office said in a follow-up that he conveyed the warning to all the above-named countries’ defense chiefs. His conversation with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was the second phone call in only three days. Just hours after the call, the Pentagon said Austin told Shoigu he “rejected any pretext for Russian escalation.” This statement strongly suggests the United States perceives that Moscow is about to heighten attacks on Ukrainian cities further, according to a report from ZeroHedge. 

Britain has also strongly rejected the claims from Moscow. The British Ministry of Defense said in his call with Defense Secretary Ben Wallace that Shoigu “alleged that Ukraine was planning actions facilitated by Western countries, including the UK, to escalate the conflict in Ukraine.”

“The Defense Secretary refuted these claims and cautioned that such allegations should not be used as a pretext for greater escalation,” the ministry said. “The Defense Secretary also reiterated UK and wider international support for Ukraine and desire to de-escalate this conflict. It is for Ukraine and Russia to seek resolution to the war and the UK stands ready to assist.” -CNBC

Russian authorities repeatedly have made allegations that Ukraine could detonate a dirty bomb in a false flag attack and blame it on Moscow. Ukrainian authorities, in turn, have accused the Kremlin of hatching such a plan.

Ukraine’s presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak also dismissed Shoigu’s claims as an “absolute and quite predictable absurdity from those who believe that they blatantly lie and make people believe in that.”

A statement from the French Foreign Ministry has ominously warned that the crisis I’m Ukraine is “trending towards uncontrollable escalation.” But Macron on Sunday admitted that “peace is possible”, yet it will depend on when the Ukrainians “decide it”.

Who exactly endowed this person with the authority to decide when the US must launch World War III on his behalf https://t.co/GYc98QnH89

— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) October 23, 2022

Ukraine has continually asked if not pleaded for the West to join in on making sure this “invasion” becomes World War III.