Russia warned Article 5 will be triggered if radioactive cloud hits NATO amid fears of sabotage in Zaporizhzhia

There are fears that Russia could sabotage the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which is the largest in Europe.

The head of Ukrainian intelligence service has warned that sabotage on the nuclear facility “cannot be ruled out” as Russia has already mined the power plant and have “prepared everything” for a “terror attack.”

Kyrylo Budanov said that plant has been mined and Russia military vehicles laden with explosives by the cooling ponds.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine said last week, “Additional mining of the nuclear power plant, including the cooling ponds, is currently underway.

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“Whether the Kremlin decides to go ahead with this scenario today depends solely on the reaction of the global world.

“The red lines have to be defined.”

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that an attack on Europe’s largest nuclear power plant “would potentially be more detrimental to Russian forces on the southern bank of the Kakhovka Reservoir than to Ukrainian forces on the opposite bank.”

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.”

Senator Blumenthal said, “This resolution […] is meant to send a message to Vladimir Putin and even more directly to his military, they will be destroyed, they will be eviscerated if they use tactical nuclear weapons, or if they destroy a nuclear plant in a way that threatens surrounding NATO nations.

“His (Putin’s) military risks total obliteration by NATO forces, if they are so reckless and irrational as to resort to tactical nuclear weapons.”