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Russia could face an unprecedented nuclear disaster as its Kursk nuclear power plant is now dangerously close to the frontlines of the war.
In August, several thousand Ukrainian soldiers made a breakthrough in the Russian border region, placing the Kursk nuclear plant within range of potential drone strikes.
Earlier this month, several Ukrainian drones were shot down just kilometers from the facility, sparking panic in the Kremlin.
Despite the close proximity of the frontlines to the Kursk nuclear plant, Kyiv has deemed it “pointless” to target such a high-risk site, as stated by Andriy Kovalenko, a representative of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council at the time.
While the Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine has been disconnected from the grid, the Kursk plant remains operational, and any strike could have devastating consequences.
Alexander Nikitin, a nuclear advisor to the environmental foundation Bellona, told the Russian investigative media outlet Verstka that the plant’s design never accounted for the possibility of a military attack. He also described the situation as an “unprecedented emergency,” echoing the warnings of Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
