Ukrainian spy chief has warned of a “global incident” as Russia has finished their preparations at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant for an attack.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Kyiv’s Ministry of Defence said that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been heavily mined and trucks filled with explosives are also in the facility.
Budanov said told New Statesman that Russia’s plan has been fully “drafted and approved” and should Moscow give the order to attack the nuclear power plant it “can happen in a matter of minutes.”
Ukrainian intelligence states that vehicles carrying explosives have been moved to four of the six power plants and that the cooling pond has been mined.
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If there is no cooling of the nuclear reactors between 10 hours to 14 days, then this could start a meltdown.
At the lower end of the timeframe there could be a nuclear accident with the raising of the voltage in the power supply lines.
He described two chilling scenarios which could see a nuclear incident, and warned that the situation “has never been as severe as now.”
Budanov said an explosion will create a “Grey Zone” that will stop Ukrainian forces advancing, the second will see Vladimir Putin using the nuclear disaster as “preventative measure” to freeze the line of contact by stopping the counter-offensive.
Taras Tyshchenko, a local health administrator, told The Independent, “We knew the Russians could blow up the Kakhovka dam and we know they could target ZNPP.
“This incident will not be a local or even a national one. It is a global incident.”
However, the US Senate has formerly introduced a resolution which warns that there will be dire consequences for Russia or Belarus should tactical nuclear weapons be used.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal warned that the “threat” that Russia will use a “nuclear device is real.”
The two Senators warned that if any radioactive parts enter the territory of NATO then this should be considered an attack and Article 5 should be triggered.
Graham said, “The threat of a use of a nuclear device by Russia is real. And the best way to deter it is to give them clarity, the Russians, as to what happens if they do that.
“And our message is to those around Putin. That if you do this, if you follow his orders – if he ever gives this, you can expect a massive response from NATO. And you will be at war with NATO.”
Ukraine is also conducting “large-scale” training exercises and are preparing services for an attack at the nuclear power plant, the state nuclear energy agency confirmed.
In Zaporizhzhia today filming Ukrainian emergency workers doing drills practicing how to respond if Russia blew up the nuclear power plant here.
Video shows workers practicing decontaminating someone for radiation. pic.twitter.com/AXsWDUcryY— Patrick Reevell (@Reevellp) June 29, 2023
Energoatom said in a statement, “On June 29, large-scale special exercises aimed at preparing for a possible terrorist attack at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhia NPP began in Ukraine.”
The statement added, “Energy engineers, representatives of DIAUR and State Emergency Service, police, doctors and other services of Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions are also involved in the exercises.”
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