New Delhi: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has reached to the use of ‘Dirty Bomb’, which has raised tension for many countries. ‘Dirty Bomb’ word is in the light but many people are not aware about this weapon, so lets know what ‘Dirty Bomb’ is.
What is a ‘Dirty Bomb’?
The term ‘dirty bomb’ refers to explosive devices that disperse the radioactive material, such as Uranium, or Plutonium, after being triggered when the conventional explosives detonate. It is different from nuclear bombs as it doesn’t need highly refined radioactive material. It can be made using radioactive materials from hospitals, nuclear power stations, and even research laboratories. They can be transported quite easily as well.
It doesn’t create a radiation cloud as in the case of a nuclear bomb. Instead, it scatters the radioactive material over a radius spanning a few hundred metres. There is no recorded use of ‘dirty bombs’. They have, so far, been tested only.
What Damage can a dirty bomb cause?
The number of casualties and the extent of damage from a dirty bomb depends on many variables. A key factor is the amount and type of conventional explosives that are used, which determine the magnitude of the blast. The quantity and type of radioactive materials released are other factors, as are weather conditions – and especially the wind – at the time of the blast. A potentially wide area could be contaminated. Low levels of radiation exposure usually do not cause any symptoms. People may not know whether they have been exposed because radiation cannot be seen, smelled or tasted.
India’s urge to Ukraine and Russia
The New Delhi government once again urged Russia and Ukraine to solve the disputes through dialogue and diplomacy as the world has suffered a lot due to conflict between the two countries. The Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh Wednesday spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu and expressed concerns over the alleged threat of the use of ‘dirty bombs’ in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Defence Minister said, “Russia and Ukraine should pursue diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the conflict at the earliest. Nuclear war – should be avoided at all costs as the use of such weapons is against the basic tenets of humanity,”
Soon after Shoigu’s comments about the “provocation by the use of dirty bombs”, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh advisory, asking all Indian citizens to leave the war-torn country as soon as possible. Referring to its previous advisory, the embassy stated the Indians should opt for available means and contact their officials if they needed help.
Shoigu on Tuesday said he was “concerned about possible provocations by Kyiv involving the use of a dirty bomb.”
(Vinayak)
