russian intelligence services have launched another low-quality information attack targeting Ukraine, this time centered around fabricated allegations of illicit nuclear material trade. According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, false claims are being circulated in Syria about supposed sales of military equipment allegedly purchased from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
At the core of the narrative is a poorly assembled container that allegedly contains capsules marked PU.94244U and U.92, designations suggesting plutonium and uranium. The contents of the capsules remain unknown, and the labeling is inconsistent with any verified nuclear material handling standards.
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The Defense Intelligence reports that the container appears to be a crude fabrication. It features unreadable Cyrillic script, an improperly attached the Ukrainian Air Force logo using blue insulation tape, and significant errors in technical labeling. These details point to the hallmarks of prior russian disinformation operations, low-effort props combined with sensationalist claims.
One of the capsules is marked PU 94244U, referencing a highly rare plutonium isotope that exists only in trace amounts in the Earth's crust, measured in grams. The presence of an unrelated mechanical wristwatch inside the container further undermines the credibility of the alleged find.
The disinformation also includes an outdated Soviet-era chemical reconnaissance device, claimed to have been purchased from the Ukrainian military personnel allegedly involved in radiation and chemical protection operations in Syria. The equipment's origin story mirrors previous fabricated narratives involving Ukrainian weapons abroad.
The video promoting this false narrative bears an Arabic-language timestamp reading "13.03.2025, Thursday", likely intended to give the appearance of recency and legitimacy. However, the Defense Intelligence notes that the material, including the container and device, appears to be recycled from earlier russian propaganda.
In 2023, a private blog run by a user identified as smoug1985 posted similar claims of Ukrainian container with plutonium, which russian sources then used to allege that they had disrupted Western attempt to accuse russia of using chemical weapons in Syria. This earlier instance laid the groundwork for the current recycled campaign.
According to Andriy Yusov, the operation is intended to discredit Ukraine internationally, particularly in the eyes of Syria's new leadership, global partners, and institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"This is another Kremlin attempt to damage Ukraine's reputation while manipulating the topic of global nuclear security. The free world must respond firmly," Andriy Yusov said.
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