US dismisses ‘transparently false’ Russian claims of Ukraine plan to use ‘dirty bomb’

Antony Blinken joins Ukraine and UK in dismissing Moscow's claim, saying the world will see through' any attempt to escalate conflict

• What we know on day 243 of the invasion

The US has rejected as transparently false" Russia's evidence-free claim that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb" on its own territory as part of an escalation of Vladimir Putin's war.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken told his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, on Sunday the world would see through any attempt by Russia to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation", and vowed to continue supporting Kyiv for as long as necessary.