Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on October 23 for the second time in three days and held a flurry of calls with three other counterparts from NATO countries.
Russia’s Defense Ministry noted on its Telegram channel that the parties discussed the situation in Ukraine.
Official Moscow did not provide any details of the conversation with Austin, which came after Shoigu and Austin spoke on October 21 for the first time since May.
According to Anadolu Agency, Austin tweeted regarding his phone call with Shoigu on Friday: "I emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine."
Kommersant says Lloyd Austin has become fourth defense minister from NATO countries whom Shoigu called on October 23.
On Sunday, he also held phone talks France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and UK's Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.
Later on Sunday, Sergei Shoigu reportedly held phone calls with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar.
In all three calls Russia's defense chief reportedly discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine and expressed his concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of “dirty bomb.”
Dirty bomb or radiological dispersal device is a type of speculative radiological weapon that combines radioactive material with conventional explosives. The purpose of the weapon is to contaminate the area around the dispersal agent/conventional explosion with radioactive material, serving primarily as an area denial device against civilians.
