Russia ready to strike back with nukes if Ukraine uses dirty bomb, threatens former President

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued another round of nuclear saber-rattling, warning that any use of a “dirty bomb” by Ukraine would trigger a ‘mirror response’, which will involve tactical nuclear weapons from the Russian side. These statement, shared on his Telegram channel, marks Medvedev’s latest attempt to raise the stakes as the West remains preoccupied with the escalating Israel-Iran war in the Middle East.

In the post, he mocked Washington’s shifting focus, suggesting that the US would now be too consumed with defending Israel to sustain its support for Ukraine.

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His commentary came about President Vladimir Putin's earlier comments at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he stated that if Ukraine were to decide to use a "dirty bomb" against the Russian Federation, it would be the last mistake of the Kiev regime.

In the same tone, Medvedev warned that Russia has "plenty" of such weapons and is well-prepared for proportional retaliation with a clean bomb, referring to a tactical nuclear weapon.

"That would be, of course, an extraordinarily dangerous provocation that would demand a proportionate response. With what? A clean bomb—a tactical nuclear weapon?" Medvedev wrote.

A dirty bomb, also known as a radiological dispersal device (RDD), is a weapon that combines conventional explosives (such as dynamite) with radioactive material. When detonated, the explosion disperses radioactive material into the surrounding area, contaminating it.

The main goals of a dirty bomb are to cause environmental disruption, economic damage, and psychological terror rather than mass casualties from radiation.

He dismissed the environmental and humanitarian consequences of such a response, only offering a chilling suggestion to Ukrainian leaders: “Take a stroll through the Chernobyl exclusion zone or watch the TV series of the same name to get some inspiration.”

His comments come amid warnings from Russian officials about Ukraine allegedly preparing radioactive provocations, claims that have not been substantiated by international watchdogs but are now being elevated by top Russian leadership.

Earlier this week, the Russian Security Council warned about the "catastrophic consequences" of any Ukrainian use of radiological weapons, referencing intelligence concerns reported by state outlet Izvestia.

But Medvedev didn’t stop with Ukraine. Turning to the intensifying Israel-Iran war, he described it bluntly as a “useful distraction” for Russia, while mocking American geopolitical bandwidth.

Medvedev cynically welcomed the US pivot, suggesting Trump-aligned Republicans were never keen on backing Ukraine in the first place. Yet, he warned that the Israel-Iran standoff risks spiraling into a global conflict, which US President Donald Trump himself thinks.

In a final scathing line, Medvedev ridiculed Europe’s moral and political standing, calling its leadership a “freak show,” and mocking French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

It is hard to decipher whether this is strategic posturing or genuine escalation, but Medvedev’s unfiltered words sometimes offer a troubling glimpse into the Kremlin’s worldview.