This is the first I've heard of any major nuclear power having a radiological bomb. Everything I've seen published to date has said that such "dirty bombs" were the exclusive province of third world countries, terrorist organizations, and "lone wolf" terrorists. In other words, the threat of radiological bombs was soley from those who did not have the ability to create a fission weapon.
Now, I am weighing the years of news that said the above on the one hand, against this one report of a Russian-built radiological bomb on the other hand, and it's coming up short.
So, if I look at the current report, I can see a small number of possibilities:
1. The story is as-related; it's true; the Russians created radiological bombs, and no one knew about them, and now, at least one has gotten into the hands of a terrorist.
2. The story has been changed to protect someone, most likely a source -- the bomb is as-described, but it is not from the Russians.
3. The story has been changed, for the purpose of messing with the enemy. IOW, it's agitprop. Either nothing of the sort happened, or the person was caught with something other than what he was described has having.
4. The story has been changed, in order to protect the tender sensibilities of the West, and in order to "maintain the balance of [insert factor here]" -- the person was captured with a Russian backpack fusion bomb, of the type that has been alluded to in the media for several years.
IMO, #1 is the least likely, and #4 is the most likely. #2 & #3 are tossups, but of less probability than #4, and greater probability than #1.
Two cents, do with them as you like.
[see #65]