The Kremlin has issued a stark and highly unusual threat suggesting it could carry out missile strikes on nuclear power stations in Ukraine and NATO countries, in what Western officials are likely to view as a dangerous escalation in rhetoric around nuclear infrastructure.
The warning was delivered by senior Russian figures amid escalating claims and counter-claims over alleged attacks on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, Europe’s largest nuclear facility.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of striking a key part of the plant using a fibre-optic controlled drone—an allegation Kyiv has firmly denied, calling it a fabrication designed to justify further escalation and deflect attention from Russian actions at the site.
The claims centre on damage reportedly sustained at one of the plant’s units, which Russian officials say amounts to an unprecedented attack on nuclear infrastructure. Ukraine has rejected the accusation outright, stating that its forces lack the operational range to conduct such a strike and that Russia has failed to provide verifiable evidence.
In response, former Russian president and current deputy chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned that any major destruction at a nuclear facility could trigger what he described as a “symmetrical response”, including potential strikes on nuclear power plants in Ukraine and NATO member states allegedly involved in the conflict.
He claimed that in the event of catastrophic damage to a reactor or turbine hall, the consequences could resemble a “new Chernobyl”, before suggesting that retaliation could extend beyond Ukraine’s borders.
His comments were echoed by Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev, who accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting critical equipment at Zaporizhzhia and warned of further attacks on reactor infrastructure.
Ukraine strongly rejected both sets of allegations, insisting that its armed forces do not target nuclear facilities and have no operational capability to conduct precision strikes on the plant due to distance and battlefield constraints.
Officials in Kyiv described the accusations as part of what they called a broader pattern of “nuclear intimidation”, arguing that Moscow has repeatedly manipulated narratives around nuclear safety to apply political pressure on Ukraine and its Western allies.
The controversy is centred on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been under Russian occupation since early in the war and remains a persistent flashpoint due to its proximity to active front lines and the risks posed by ongoing military activity in the surrounding area.
In a separate escalation, Medvedev also issued a broader political warning, publishing statements and video material suggesting that Russian retaliation would intensify if attacks on Russian territory continued. His messaging included references to European leaders and NATO states, heightening concern over the increasingly personalised tone of Kremlin rhetoric.
The comments follow a series of recent incidents involving Russian drones and cross-border activity, including strikes that have affected infrastructure in NATO states bordering Ukraine. Western governments have condemned such incidents as provocations, while Russia has denied responsibility or blamed Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has previously warned that repeated violations of NATO airspace and territory risk normalising escalation, urging allies to take Moscow’s statements and actions seriously as the conflict broadens in scope.
Analysts say the latest nuclear-related threats mark a particularly sensitive stage in the war, given the catastrophic risks associated with any deliberate attack on nuclear infrastructure.
While there is no independent verification that Russia intends to target nuclear facilities in NATO countries, the suggestion alone is likely to heighten diplomatic alarm across Europe and intensify calls for clearer red lines.
For now, both sides continue to trade accusations over Zaporizhzhia, but the rhetoric surrounding the dispute has moved into increasingly volatile territory—raising concerns that nuclear safety itself is becoming entangled in the wider escalation of the conflict.
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