August M
Rising tensions in the Middle East are now affecting a major nuclear facility in Iran.
Russia has begun evacuating personnel while warning that any strike on the site could trigger a disaster.
According to The Express, Russian authorities have started removing citizens from the Bushehr nuclear power plant as fighting in the region intensifies following US strikes on Iran.
Hundreds of Russian engineers and construction workers are involved in building two additional reactors at the site, but work has reportedly been halted amid nearby explosions.
Evacuations begin
Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said preparations are underway for another evacuation of Russian nationals from the facility.
Speaking on March 9, Likhachev said family members and some staff are expected to be removed soon as security concerns grow around the plant.
He noted that the situation near the facility remains tense, although there have been no direct attacks on the plant itself.
“The situation in the area of the Bushehr NPP remains difficult,” Likhachev said.
“But fortunately, no strikes have been recorded either on the plant itself or on the construction site and the residential areas of the staff.”
Nuclear risk warning
The Bushehr plant currently contains significant quantities of nuclear material, officials said.
Likhachev explained that the reactor is operating with 72 tons of nuclear fuel, while another 210 tons of spent fuel is stored at the site.
He warned that any strike on the facility could have severe consequences.
“A strike would certainly be a regional catastrophe,” Likhachev said.
“This is something all parties to the conflict must understand, regardless of their political affiliation.”
Russians remain onsite
Despite the evacuations, several hundred Russian specialists are still working at the facility.
Some workers are required to stay to maintain equipment and oversee technical processes that cannot be halted immediately.
Likhachev said around 639 Russian personnel remain at the plant, though children of staff have already been evacuated.
He added that President Vladimir Putin is personally overseeing security arrangements for Russian workers at the site.
Bushehr, located roughly 745 miles south of Tehran, is Iran’s only operational commercial nuclear power plant and operates separately from the country’s uranium enrichment facilities.
Sources: The Express, Rosatom statements
