Russia evacuates some staff from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant amid ongoing Israeli strikes

Russia has evacuated some of its personnel from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes, Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev told the business publication RBC. He warned that a strike on the facility could lead to a disaster comparable to that of Chernobyl.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the safety of Russian specialists at Bushehr was discussed with Israeli authorities. “Just yesterday, President Putin mentioned that there’s an understanding with Israel that personnel working at Bushehr will remain safe,” he said, adding that Russia simultaneously maintains a partnership with Iran and “trust-based” relations with Israel.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov had earlier warned that escalating tensions between Iran and Israel posed a serious threat to the plant.

Maxim Starchak, a researcher at Queen’s University in Canada, told The Insider he does not believe Israel will directly strike the Bushehr NPP, though the facility may face indirect risks due to the ongoing hostilities:

“Preventive safety measures are, of course, a good thing, but I don’t think Israel will bomb the nuclear power plant. A strike on the plant could cause a nuclear disaster, which would threaten the entire region, not just Iran. The international community and the U.S. would not accept that. Overall, Israel’s actions confirm that the targets of the strikes are military facilities or sites that could be used in the production of nuclear weapons.

I don’t believe there’s a direct threat to the Bushehr nuclear plant. It seems to me the concerns are more about the overall instability of the situation. The plant could be affected indirectly if it loses electricity, or if Iranian staff become overly fearful and want to halt operations themselves. For the sake of peace of mind and safety, temporarily leaving the plant might not be a bad idea.”

Located near the city of Bushehr on the Persian Gulf, the plant began commercial operations in 2013 with Russian support.

On June 13, Israel launched airstrikes across Iran, claiming the operation aims to dismantle infrastructure related to Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran has since responded with retaliatory attacks.