Video showing Ukrainian nationalists preparing a radioactive ‘dirty bomb’ to use against Russian separatists is slammed as ‘Kremlin fake’ as US warns Moscow could attack ‘within days or weeks’

 A fake video has been released on social media which shows Ukrainian nationalists preparing a radioactive ‘dirty bomb’ for use against Russian separatists.

The bogus footage, suspected to be the work of Kremlin plotters, shows a sinister ‘Ukrainian terrorist’ in black gloves calmly assembling the dustbin-sized device to kill thousands of civilians.But the video was intercepted and exposed as another Russian ruse to ignite the war Vladimir Putin is planning for as more than 130,000 Russian troops ring Ukraine.

The soundless video has a poorly-translated caption that implicates the right-wing nationalist National Corps party.

It shows the terrorist standing over a black container with a timer and wiring connected to yellow and white plastic bags said to contain ‘radioactive’ material.

He then removes the detonator, leaving a mobile phone primed to set the blast off.

The caption bears the emblem of National Corps Party next to: ‘Remote controlled explosive device with radioactive elements.

‘Zone of effect 5km. It is devised for the partisan war. It will be used in the case of Russian army invasion in the territory of Ukraine’.

A fake video has been released on social media which shows Ukrainian nationalists preparing a radioactive ‘dirty bomb’ for use against Russian separatists

The caption bears the emblem of National Corps Party next to: ‘Remote controlled explosive device with radioactive elements. Zone of effect 5km. It is devised for the partisan war. It will be used in the case of Russian army invasion in the territory of Ukraine’.

The bogus video first emerged on Friday on a Telegram channel favoured by Russian separatists in Dontesk, and quickly spread around Russian sites fuelling conspiracy theories

The video first emerged on Friday on a Telegram channel favoured by Russian separatists in Dontesk, and quickly spread around Russian sites fuelling conspiracy theories.

It was condemned as the latest in a string of ‘false flag’ attacks by Russian disinformation experts and cyber hackers attempting to destabilise Ukraine and provide the excuse for an invasion.

‘Dirty Bombs’ are made from highly radioactive nuclear waste packed around a conventional bomb, and are designed to kill thousands initially, then render a wide area uninhabitable for years afterwards.

The crude video came just days after US intelligence intercepted another Russian-made fake in which actors were used to play rampaging Ukrainian militia leaving corpses in their wake.

Putin’s supporters planned to release footage of a staged Ukrainian attack on Russia, or Russian-speakers, showing ‘graphic scenes’ of blown-up buildings and bodies.

The bogus footage, suspected to be the work of Kremlin plotters, shows a sinister ‘Ukrainian terrorist’ in black gloves calmly assembling the dustbin-sized device to kill thousands of civilians

Putin’s supporters planned to release footage of a staged Ukrainian attack on Russia, or Russian-speakers, showing ‘graphic scenes’ of blown-up buildings and bodies

The soundless video has a poorly-translated caption that implicates the right-wing nationalist National Corps party. It shows the terrorist standing over a black container with a timer and wiring connected to yellow and white plastic bags said to contain ‘radioactive’ material

Actors were believed to have posed as troops, alongside real or fake corpses and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said of the earlier video: ‘This is clear and shocking evidence of Russia’s unprovoked aggression and underhand activity to destabilise Ukraine.

‘This bellicose intent towards a sovereign, democratic country is completely unacceptable and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms.’

Sources said Russia wanted to use the videos to accuse Ukraine of genocide - and the resulting outrage to justify an all-out attack.

The earlier footage was intercepted before it could go viral and Russia denied any involvement in its production.

But Russian state TV made wild claims that a major NATO-supported attack by Ukraine is ‘imminent’ in Ukraine’s rebel-held Donbas region.

Moscow’s Channel 1 warned: ‘Heavy artillery and hospitals are being deployed, and mobilisation reserves are being formed.’

The National Corps Party condemned the latest dirty bomb video and denied any part in it: ‘This video is a poorly made fake, and this whole story is a work of sick imagination of Russians to discredit Ukraine.’

Ukraine’s Stop Fake monitoring organisation has identified a string of Russian-backed bogus videos in recent years.

They include horrifying depictions of Ukrainian ‘Nazis’ crucifying children, burying enemy troops alive and executing pregnant women.

Another purported to show a former police chief in Donbas capital Donetsk having his throat cut - but once again, the ‘killing’ was staged using make-up and fake blood.

US intelligence officials have warned of Russia being '70 per cent ready' to invade Ukraine. Above: Satellite images show a large build up of Russian troops and logistics support units just north-west of Yelsk, Belarus on January 19

The likelihood of a diplomatic resolution of the crisis appears to be increasingly slim, the intelligence analysis concluded. (Above, a photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday shows a tank engaging in a military exercise)

US military and intelligence officials believe Russia is set to run a major nuclear weapons exercise in the coming weeks as a warning to Nato not to intervene in the event of Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine

Invasion fears spiralled in recent days as it was revealed Russia has ferried an additional 10,000 troops to Ukraine’s southern border on the Crimean Peninsula.

New satellite images and data passed to US intelligence revealed parts of Putin's invasion force have now reached full combat strength.

And several units in Crimea have now been placed on Russia’s highest state of readiness – potentially at short notice to invade..

In the past fortnight the peninsula - which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 - has seen a surge of infantry, armour and airborne forces.

Analysts say the built-up is the final preparation for war including setting up essential logistical infrastructure such as field hospitals and deploying communications jamming technology.

Ukraine now faces a threat along 800 miles of its border with 130,000 Russians backed by 30,000 separatist troops in Donbas.

Defence analyst Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at America’s RAND Corporation said: ‘What unnerves me is how methodically they’re going through this.

‘It’s by the book. You know what’s coming next.’

Many Britons were among more than 200 foreigners who marched in Kyiv today to support the country as it faces a possible Russian invasion.

Scottish expat Stuart McKenzie, 51, brandished a St Andrew’s cross flag and cried ‘freedom,’ in a nod to Mel Gibson’s depiction of William Wallace in Hollywood’s Braveheart.

As war fears mounted, Ukrainian authorities launched a series of drills for civilians to prepare for a possible Russian invasion

In recent months, Russia has conducted a series of joint drills with Belarus and repeatedly sent its nuclear-capable long-range bombers to patrol the skies over its neighbour, which borders Nato members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. (Above, a Russian soldier taking part in a military exercise on Saturday)

Healthcare firm boss Stuart, a father-of-two from Edinburgh, living in Ukraine for 28 years, said: ‘It’s quite emotional to see so many Ukrainian applauding and saluting us for this show of support.

‘But it’s the very least we can do to help them when they are facing so much Russian aggression.’

Waving Union flags and those of scores of other countries, the marchers shouted pro-Ukrainian slogans as they assembled in the Maidan Independence Square in the centre of Kyiv, where the bloody 2014 revolution was launched.

Yesterday Kyiv-born Anna Hayward, 31, married to a Brit, but Ukraine from her home in Reading, Berks, told British ex-pat Chris Taylor, 45: ‘It’s so great to see you all here. Thank you so much with all my heart.

‘This is my home-town, but I love the UK, where I now live, and I love the support you are all giving to my country. Thank you, UK. Thank you all of you.’

Accountant Chris Taylor, 45, from Southport, UK, said: ‘It’s great to be here to take the opportunity to show solidarity with Ukraine, which has been my home for 12 years.

‘I came over here for a job and I never went back. I am pretty sure I am staying, no matter what happens.’

Publisher Peter Dickinson, 45, from Buckinghamshire, lives in Kyiv and married to a Ukrainian woman.

He said: ‘This is just an opportunity to support Ukraine and demonstrate our feelings about what is happening here. It’s great to see so many nations come together and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our hosts.

‘We support Ukraine and have settled here so we wanted to show solidarity.’

Grateful Kiev local Sandra Alkhasso, 22, said: ‘It’s amazing to see so many people from all over the world coming together to support us. We know we are not alone.’