Russia brings Ukraine 'dirty bomb' claim to U.N. as West rejects it as false

A local man throws debris out of a broken window in a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile attack in Mykolaiv, Ukraine October 23, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

WASHINGTON/KYIV (Reuters) -The United States warned on Monday there would be severe consequences if Russia used a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, while Russia took its claim that Kyiv was planning to deploy a "dirty bomb" to the United Nations.

With Ukrainian forces advancing into Russian-occupied Kherson province, top Russian officials phoned Western counterparts on Sunday and Monday to tell them of Moscow's suspicions.