UPDATE 1 – The Kremlin rejects Ukraine’s claims about Wagner’s search for nuclear devices

(Recasts trope, adds context, Kremlin quotes in paragraphs 3–4)

MOSCOW, July 12 (Reuters) – The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed as disinformation a claim by Ukrainian military intelligence that members of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group intended to acquire nuclear devices during last month’s failed rebellion.

Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said without providing evidence that Wagner fighters reached the nuclear facility on June 24 and intended to acquire small Soviet-era nuclear devices to “raise the stakes” of their rebellion, Reuters reported.

“The Kremlin has no such information,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about Budanov’s claims that Wagner mercenaries reached the Voronezh-45 nuclear base to try to obtain nuclear devices.

“It looks like we are dealing with another disinformation,” Peskov said.

Reuters reported that a source close to the Kremlin with military connections confirmed part of Budanov’s account.

Wagner’s contingent “managed to get into a zone of particular concern, which caused American outrage over nuclear munitions being stockpiled there,” the person said, without going into details.

In response to a question about whether Wagner’s forces reached the base and attempted to obtain a nuclear weapon, White House National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said: “We are unable to confirm this report. At no time did we have any indication that nuclear weapons or materials were at risk.” (Reporting by Reuters; writing by Guy Faulconbridge, editing by Andrew Osborn)