Worse than Chernobyl? Russia-Ukraine war sparks fear of nuclear power plant catastrophe
Posted: 4th September 2025
The theoretical worst-case scenario feels uncomfortably close to becoming reality. In the course of their ongoing war, Russian or Ukrainian forces strike a nuclear power plant. The reactor vessel is hit, either accidentally or intentionally, sparking a catastrophe that analysts warn could be “worse than Chernobyl,” the 1986 disaster that led to thousands of deaths and long-term illnesses and caused off-the-charts radioactive contamination to the extent that portions of northern Ukraine are still cordoned off to the public. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, in many ways, has brought the planet closer to another near-apocalyptic nuclear incident than any other clash in recent history.
Washington Times 1st Sept 2025